Merely Fantastic

A Slice of Infinity
by Alison Thomas

Merely Fantastic

Spectators stood in sheer amazement as they watched the enigmatic figure fulfill a mesmerizing challenge. Demonstrating an extreme exercise in physical deprivation and isolation, a magician emerged alive after weeks without any food or human contact, living in a transparent box suspended from a crane above the River Thames. He has carried out several headline-making feats, including spending hours balancing atop a sky-high pillar and entombing himself inside a giant block of ice. Why would someone delight in such bizarre exploits? The magician explains: "Magic is an incredible art that in one mysterious moment can make you question everything. Magic strips away logic, it confronts fears and brings us to a place of constant wonder and enchantment."(1)

Babies do not require magic to be dazzled because their world is overflowing with constant amazement and wonder. As Ravi Zacharias has said, the older we get, the more we need something bigger to restore that presence of perpetual awe. Adults often deliberately choose to be captivated by fraudulent fantasy in order to escape the agony of monotony. Ravi reminds us, "The world of a child may delight in the fantastic, but the world of an adult must move from what is merely fantastic to that which is fantastically true."(2) Wonder by itself, unanchored in truth, cannot be distinguished from farce. The Christian knows that truth is embodied in the person of Christ, whose face unmasks all counterfeits. Truth requires such personhood--someone because of whom truth is possible.

The magicians of Egypt tried to reproduce Moses's works by means of illusions, but when God brought forth gnats from the dust, the sorcerers failed and exclaimed, "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:19). While magic is human manipulation, miracles are God-ordained supernatural interventions. When Jesus's opponents tested his authority by demanding a sign, Jesus replied, "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah" (Matthew 16:4). Biblical miracles were never performed for entertainment, but have the distinct purpose of glorifying God, confirming his message, and directing us to Him. While illusionists claim that we can achieve a state of transcendent awe in this life through our own painstaking efforts, Scripture teaches us to turn in complete dependence to the one who suffered in our place.

I must admit, I was utterly captivated when I caught a glimpse of the professional magician in the midst of his extraordinary test. Magic allures us by supplying a momentary surge of wonder. The magician's feats baffle and amaze us by giving the impression that something impossible has been achieved.

In staggering contrast, when we revel in the miracle of salvation provided to us through the Cross of Christ, an ultimate wonder persists that can never be exhausted. It is only on the Cross where the realities of suffering and love infinitely coalesce. When this understanding pierces your heart, you can be freed from the endless cycle of redundancy and live out the extraordinary purpose for which God has created you. Probe the depths of his mercies and take delight in his gift to you. As you reflect on Christ's magnificent triumph over suffering and death, allow your doubts to disappear.


(1) David Blaine, Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic (New York: Villard Books, 2002), 7.

(2) Ravi Zacharias, Recapture the Wonder (Nashville: Integrity, 2003), 96.

© 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. All Rights Reserved.