Mystery of God
By
May 25, 2007Here’s the thing, my friends. We like certainty. We want predictability. We trust what we can measure and believe “facts” that can be verified. We hate not knowing and thus we strive for knowledge, for certainty, for descriptive, cranial information that will allow us to quantify God or at the very least, His dealings in our life. But God refuses to be measured, to be quantified and to be fully grasped by the tiny human intellect. He gave man the authority to name (Genesis 2), but that authority comes from first of all, understanding the nature of what it is you are naming. My son and his wife just had their second child yesterday, in the quiet peacefulness of their living room. I asked him what name they had chosen for their first born son. He told me they had discussed many names, but thought it woefully inadequate to name a child whose eyes they had never seen, whose spirit they had never glimpsed and that they would pick a name in the next few days once they had a sense of the gift God had given them in their new son. That’s wisdom. Down through the ages, men have asked God His name and basically He replies, “I am who I am”. In other words, “you cannot name Me and no name can adequately and fully describe My character. I am bigger than your language and much more than known words can describe.” “But God, if I can’t name You, I am less sure of who You are. I need a label, a name, a box.” Though God has revealed Himself through a multitude of names, they give only glimpses into the totality of who He is. In accepting this, we begin to discover the mystery of God. When we get comfortable with the mystery of God, we begin to know Him. To be continued…
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This is true Michael, the church is full of people who want to understand too much of what experience has proven to them that they can not comprehend it with their small minds. The totality of God is just too much for us, what we only need to know is that He is Holy and His ways far above human thoughts. Who canst by searching know God? I believe by humility we can know God, the moment we admit before God that we don't know, I believe he begins to reveal more of himself to us according to the measure of His Spirit in us. We can never contain God in a name so it is better to know him as he reveals himself to us each day - He is faithful to be all we need, all the time.
Shame at 6:20am EDT - May 28, 2007
Well put, for me the more time I spend with Him, the more I try to learn from Him, I closer I try to get to Him, the more I believe the mysteries of God can only be found within us. I find the more I look within the questions change from who and why to how. How do I practice His presence in all, through all, with all?
Richard Angulo at 2:12pm EDT - May 28, 2007
Michael, sincerest congratulations on the birth of your grandson - may he follow in his father's and your footsteps and be blessed with the insights and wisdom you share with us each day.
Shame and Richard have raised good points. Learning God is a lifelong experience with a new chapter each day. I have learned that my name is an acronym for my life - Bill Is Learning Late to Conquer Obstinacy, Reluctance, Negativism, and Ignorance to Serve Him. But I would rather learn late than not learn at all. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
bill cornish at 7:38am EDT - May 29, 2007
Congratulations on the birth of your grandson!
This was a great read this morning. Not only thought provoking, but humbling.
When our son was born, God gave us a name before he was born. And we've loved watching him unfold in keeping with that name.
I love the fact that your son is waiting to see who this new little guy really is.
Thanks for sharing Michael.
Gerry at 7:43am EDT - May 29, 2007
Michael, I am so glad to hear of the birth of your Grandson. If he follows in your footsteps the world will be a better place indeed!
Dave C. at 7:59am EDT - May 29, 2007
Congratulations Michael. Oh, the mysteries of God, now that is a great and mysterious subject. Amen to your comment about God refuses to be measured. God way many times is not our way. I know in my own life, God is always doing the unexpected. That is why I love His mercy and grace.
Kern at 9:07am EDT - May 29, 2007
Congrats GPa!!
CAn't remember where I read it, but a Christian Astrophysicist had stated that \"a multi-dimensional God came to earth in a 3 dimensional form in order to cummunicate with us in a manner taht we could understand.\" We have seen enough of God to know taht He is real and what His desires for our lives are, but have only seen as much as He feels necessary for us to know.
As Deut 29:29 states: \"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.\" NIV
Larry Morris at 10:05am EDT - May 29, 2007
Michael, You've said it so well. It is the difference between the trees in Eden - one life, the other knowledge outside of proper context. Our secularization via western culture has passed down to us an insatiable demand for \"news\" or \"new knowing\" - but that trap leads us further from the freedom we were set free for! Blessing to you and your growing family!
Eric Beck at 11:19am EDT - May 29, 2007
Yes, Michael...I would agree that human nature most definetly wants to \"label\", and yet I certainly do NOT see this as all together good or bad. After all it is in our human nature that we pursue understanding, and thankfully by HIS grace we gain ... just enough to receive, by faith... \"The (Ultimate) Gift of Salvation\".
As for naming a baby... well, I honestly hadn't thought of it that way, but I like it. As for the graciouness of our Heavenly Father and HIS giving us glimpses into HIMSELF through the many names, well...I find HIM to be so gentle and kind and so creatively patient, and I am enjoying getting to know HIM all the time.
S
Tina Marie at 8:37pm EDT - May 29, 2007
Good stuff!
David G. Johnson at 10:31pm EDT - June 6, 2007