Selwyn’s study is interesting but I find it hard to comment because I like both chess and poetry – so what does that make me?
I liked the following: “When faced with the mystery of God’s story in our lives we have two choices: either we respond by trying to figure out God’s ways and seek to introduce some ‘editorial deletions’, or we respond by floating on the waves of His purposes … “ and, trusting in the goodness of God.
The first choice, attempting to rationalise God’s ways – will always lead to a view that God is smaller than He is – because it’s a view that has as its foundation the belief that we have the intellect to understand God’s mind. A tiny mite, on an ant has a much better chance of understanding my actions than I do, of understanding God’s ways. Or, put another way; from Scripture we may see as if looking through a dark glass, a small part of God – enough to get us safely home. Equate that to distance, we may see a few millimeters of God’s nature, but His nature stretches from here to the edge of our universe, billions of kilometers away. If we keep the scale of these comparison firmly in the forefront of our mind, we may then begin to realise just how foolish it is to try and understand the reasons behind God’s ways.
Paul’s letter to the Romans 11:28-36 (NLT): “Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”
Paul has made the same point much better than I – yet, there are many who never let go of the quest to find the reasons behind God’s actions – what a great waste of their time. Do you agree?
More about poetry
Selwyn’s study is interesting but I find it hard to comment because I like both chess and poetry – so what does that make me?
I liked the following: “When faced with the mystery of God’s story in our lives we have two choices: either we respond by trying to figure out God’s ways and seek to introduce some ‘editorial deletions’, or we respond by floating on the waves of His purposes … “ and, trusting in the goodness of God.
The first choice, attempting to rationalise God’s ways – will always lead to a view that God is smaller than He is – because it’s a view that has as its foundation the belief that we have the intellect to understand God’s mind. A tiny mite, on an ant has a much better chance of understanding my actions than I do, of understanding God’s ways. Or, put another way; from Scripture we may see as if looking through a dark glass, a small part of God – enough to get us safely home. Equate that to distance, we may see a few millimeters of God’s nature, but His nature stretches from here to the edge of our universe, billions of kilometers away. If we keep the scale of these comparison firmly in the forefront of our mind, we may then begin to realise just how foolish it is to try and understand the reasons behind God’s ways.
Paul’s letter to the Romans 11:28-36 (NLT): “Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”
Paul has made the same point much better than I – yet, there are many who never let go of the quest to find the reasons behind God’s actions – what a great waste of their time. Do you agree?