Recently, I watched a TV show with a dialogue that stuck with me. One character asked another, "Do you really believe all that?" referring to their Christian faith. The response was simple: "Sure, of course." When challenged with "It just doesn't make sense," the character replied, "Neither does quantum physics."

I. Love. That. Line!&

Anyone who knows me knows I love science, particularly quantum physics. It's so mind-bending, mysterious, and unreal—yet we know it's real. We know dark matter exists, but no one has truly ever seen it. We accept realities we cannot fully comprehend. That's faith.

This same principle of mystery appears in Scripture. In Genesis 48:8-20, Israel (Jacob) blesses Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, in a way that defies human logic. Although Joseph positioned the boys correctly, Israel crossed his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim's head and his left on Manasseh's head. Since the right hand is considered the hand of power, custom dictates it should rest on the firstborn's head—Manasseh's. But Israel placed the second-born, Ephraim, first.

Throughout Genesis, we see this pattern repeated many times: God promotes the second-born over the first. Why?

Reading these passages today, I realized we may never fully know why—just as God never answered Job's why. We naturally want to close open loops and find answers; that's why stories without firm endings feel unsatisfying. But here's what strikes me: God deliberately withholds these answers. We keep asking why, which leads to another why, which leads to another. It's neverending—and I believe that's precisely the point.

Have you ever tried answering all of a child's why questions? When my kids were young, they'd ask an innocent why question. I'd think I could tackle it, so I'd answer. Then came another why in response to my answer, and I'd answer that one too. It went on and on until I reached a point where I simply could not answer—because I cannot explain adult concepts and complexities to a three-year-old. Eventually, I'd give up and say something like, "That's the way it is," and my child would have to settle for that and trust me.

God is mysterious. His ways are mind-bending and don't make sense to us because He's God and I'm not. So I'm going to trust His reasons for placing the second-born over the first again and again, even though it seems unfair to my human mind. I'm going to be like Job and, instead of asking why, simply praise Him. He is omniscient. He holds everything in balance. And He loves me AND you dearly.

Could God be challenging you to accept open loops and trust that He has the answer that He'll reveal in His timing?