GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WORKS (2)

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” – Romans 11:33

Apostle Paul was overwhelmed by God’s Unsearchable Ways and MYSTERIOUS WORKS: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom.11:33). We cannot always fully understand God’s decisions and ways, such as the Mystery of His covenant with Israel (vv.25-30)! His works are inscrutable, not because He’s trying to hide something from us, but because our limited understanding cannot grasp the full scope of His sovereignty. God’s nature is mind-boggling. So, while we can know God, our finite minds can never fully comprehend all there is to know about Him. It’s possible to know someone without fully, truly understanding them.

For example, I know and love my wife, but I don’t understand everything about her. That’s what makes marriage exciting. It’s a never-ending quest to know each other better. Whoever says to their spouse, I’ve got you figured out, is most likely lying. Whoever boasts, I’ve got God figured out is equally mistaken and in error. Who can measure God’s wealth, wisdom and knowledge? Who can understand His decisions or explain all He does? “Has anyone known the thoughts of the Lord or given him advice? Has anyone loaned something to the Lord that must be repaid?” Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen” (vv. 33-36, Contemporary English Version). All things are from Him, through Him, and to Him. God is the Source of all, and the Course, and Force of all life!

God’s Ways and Works are truly amazing. The psalmist wrote: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psa.8: 3-4). Yet, He who created the myriad of stars and planets is keenly interested in us. Isaiah 42:12 reads: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” God has measured the heavens with the span of His hand! Scientists affirm that there are over 300 billion stars just in our own galaxy, the Milky Way!  

In the vastness of the Universe, we may feel like microscopic specks of dust; yet God cares for us as a Father who has numbered the very hairs of our heads (Mt.10:30). We may never fully comprehend everything about Him, but these shouldn’t stand in the way of personally relating with Him! Our finite brains can’t comprehend God’s infinite plans (Isa.55: 8-9). Yet, He calls us to press on to know Him: “Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord” (Hos.6:3a). The big struggle we often have is whether or not to embrace His ways that are much higher and better than ours. There is a blessing and a hope that comes from embracing God’s Ways and appreciating His Works, even when we don’t fully understand what He is doing!

We typically like to be in control of our lives’ affairs. As God reveals Himself to us however, our need to be in control of all of life’s mysteries fades, our faith deepens, and our ability to trust Him is perfected. We receive the power to walk in full confidence that our God is faithful and true. “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1Cor.13:12). In due time, He will make known all the mysteries of creation. He’s already revealed part of that mystery through Christ and His Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth. Although our finite human minds can’t fully comprehend all there is to know about God, He has revealed His greatest Mystery to us: JESUS!