ENTROPY.

There is something within me that wants for things in life to stay whole and untarnished, but this never seems to happen. I don’t think I am the only one who senses the tendency towards decay in the universe. This is true on a large scale for the universe of course. The world is constantly in a state of being polluted and overcrowded, not to mention that our natural resources are constantly dwindling. But even in the smallest things in my life, I notice this tendency. At some point, new cars break down, highlights grow out, fingernails chip, new clothes stretch out, cds scratch, ipod drop on the floor (total bummer!), food goes moldy, shampoo bottles run dry, rooms get messy…It’s really quite annoying. These small things may not seem like a big deal, but to me they are a symptom of a greater problem in the whole universe: the law of entropy.

I looked up the word entropy today on thesaurus.com and it gave me these synonyms: breakup, collapse, decay, decline, degeneration, destruction, falling apart, worsening. Each one of these words powerfully describes what is constantly happening on every level of the universe: from the decay of our teeth to the melting of the polar ice caps.

I think the most annoying side effect of this universal law is the breakdown of our own bodies. Our whole lives (after adolescence) are a process of our bodies breaking down. I think the sooner that we realize this, the better off we will be, because it will not surprise us when it happens.

It is interesting that in a time in my life when almost all my friends are in the best physical shape of their lives, I am absolutely a mess. While a lot of my friends are running marathons and triathalons, I am lucky if I can walk to the end of my street. Some days walking to the mailbox is a victory. While this may seem fairly depressing, it is kind of strange gift to me in a weird way. It is a daily reminder of my own lack of control over my own life and my ability to control anything. It also reminds me how fragile my body is. I know that I’m not invincible.

Being sick also does something good inside of me, in that it springs at least a little desire for something else: something beyond this world. It is so incredibly easy for me to be happy with just living and not thinking about eternity and the life that Christ calls us to if we have decided to submit our lives to him. But when your body is constantly hurting, it is a constant reminder that we are not made for this earth- that this is a broken system, a dim reflection of something greater.

In the meantime, our job is to keep our eyes open and do our best to allow God to renew our hearts, even while our bodies are falling apart.

Romans 8: 19-21

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.