Thursday, May 23, 2013
God Is More Complex Than You Can Imagine
Mark Roberts on Psalm 149:
In an age when we work so hard to develop "self-image" aggressive fear seems to be the common response. What I am talking about here is the response that says, "You cannot be that much smarter than me, you're just being an officious jerk, stop bullying me an go away." In the end that is just a refusal to believe.
But when we actually grasp that God is, well, God, then we must bend the knee. We may not understand what's happening or what He is trying to tell us, but because we know He IS that smart and He has a viewpoint we cannot hope to obtain, it is entirely reasonable to go along with the plan.
It is sheer hubris that makes us doubt Christianity based on the "mysteries" - they should simply drive us to subject ourselves to the One so obviously smarter.
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Psalm 149:6 is one of many verses in the Psalms that can, at first, startle or even shock us. The psalm begins with a call to praise the Lord and sing to him a new song (149:1). Israel is to rejoice in God and praise him with dancing and music (149:2-3). Why? Because the Lord "delights in his people" and "crowns the humble with victory" (149:4). So God's people are to praise him, even "as they lie on their beds" (149:5).
But then we read: "Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands" (149:6). This sword is given to God's people so that they might "execute the judgment written against" the nations and their leaders (149:7-9). How are we to understand this unexpected juxtaposition of praise and the sword?Mark Roberts on Ephesians 1:
Did you catch that? I said God's strength is mighty strong. God's power exceeds our ability to grasp it, not to mention find words to represent it.The sooner we can come to grips with our essential inadequacy, the better off I think we will all be. It seems like there are two responses to something as un-understandable as God, bend the knee or aggressive fear.
In an age when we work so hard to develop "self-image" aggressive fear seems to be the common response. What I am talking about here is the response that says, "You cannot be that much smarter than me, you're just being an officious jerk, stop bullying me an go away." In the end that is just a refusal to believe.
But when we actually grasp that God is, well, God, then we must bend the knee. We may not understand what's happening or what He is trying to tell us, but because we know He IS that smart and He has a viewpoint we cannot hope to obtain, it is entirely reasonable to go along with the plan.
It is sheer hubris that makes us doubt Christianity based on the "mysteries" - they should simply drive us to subject ourselves to the One so obviously smarter.
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