God is Beyond Our Understanding
Why we can’t fully understand God and how to respond
“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.” Romans 11:33-36
God revealed a lot about himself in the Bible. Yet, because we are human, there is a lot we can not understand about God because He lives outside of the natural world. For a person to know God completely in this life is like an ant learning arithmetic. It’s just not possible. God is “transcendent,” meaning above and beyond our understanding. Here are some results of knowing that God is transcendent.
1. It Leads Us To Worship
Think about the made-up Greek or Roman “gods.” Along with super-powers, they also had many human-like flaws. They were envious, angry, and they committed adultery and murder. These so-called “gods” were not worthy of worship. In contrast, Paul ends today’s passage with worship: “All glory to him forever! Amen!” (Romans 11:36) God is totally wise and powerful and has no needs; He alone is worthy of our praise.
2. It Humbles Us
When we are tempted to think we can tell God how to run the world, we should read Isaiah 55:8-9:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
We all wish there wasn’t so much suffering or evil in the world – or in our own lives. Yet from Genesis to Revelation, and especially at the Cross, God takes situations meant for evil and turns them around to benefit us and accomplish his purposes. We must trust God to do the same in our world today, knowing that we will someday praise him for it.
3. It Gives Hope for the Future
1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known” This season, of being unable to understand God, will soon come to an end. We will live with God in Heaven, all sin will be completely removed from us, and we will know God in a much greater way than we do today; face to face. Wonder and praise will fill our hearts at that moment – and as we spend eternity getting to know even more about God.
Pray this week:
Lord, Thank you that you and your ways are so far above me. Help me to trust in you and your plan every day, and to worship you for your greatness.
Do you need help understanding how God is different from humans?