The metaverse is different, it’s true. And historically, Christians fear what’s different. Humans fear what we don’t understand. So it’s easy to ignore potential Kingdom movements because they don’t align with our opinions. But remember, God eventually forced Jonah to Nineveh.
Historically, Christians fear what’s different.
On a recent episode of Metaverse Church NEXT, Mindy Caliguire shed some incredible insight into the biblical view of God and a scriptural parallel on how he may view the metaverse. It was an equally powerful insight into God’s view of us. From what I know of God, he is bigger than the metaverse.
To virtual church naysayers, let’s pause and examine a slight paraphrase of Psalm 139:1-12 from the perspective of someone in the metaverse (text in italics is added).
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me (even in the metaverse).
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar (even in the metaverse).
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways (even in the metaverse).
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely (even in the metaverse).
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me (even in the metaverse).
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there (even in the metaverse).
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast (even in the metaverse).
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you (even in the metaverse).
Is our God so weak that we can hide from him in the metaverse? Hiding from God didn’t work well for Adam and Eve in the garden. I find it hard to believe that Facebook has developed the technology that separates us from God.
Fearfully, Wonderfully Made
The passage goes on to describe we are fearfully, wonderfully made. It is arguably one of the most beautiful passages of the Psalms. It paints the picture that God knows us intimately, possibly better than we even know ourselves. I believe this applies even in the metaverse.
As easy as it is for us to fear the metaverse, the Church understands that it’s humans, people, and souls in the metaverse. Are they behaving as they should? Maybe? By the way, this is an issue in the physical world, too.
Is our God so weak that we can hide from him in the metaverse?
Here’s what I believe: even in the metaverse, we are people, and he is God. I challenge you to read Psalm 139 from a metaverse perspective and begin to understand that God is God, even in the metaverse. And people need to know him, once again, even in the metaverse.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me (even in the metaverse).
and lead me in the way everlasting.
