I have been intrigued with God’s ways which are far more complex than my mind can comprehend. He inspired Isaiah to write “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” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT2). Yet we are repeatedly told to learn to know God. That is a paradox which is a statement that seems contradictory yet is true. Another paradox in God’s ways is that He gives gifts of grace, which by their very nature cannot be earned, while at the same time requires a person to exert serious initiative in order to experience that gift. When I ponder such truths, it reminds me that I am not God—I am only a finite human and must accept that fact. When others face such a paradox they either assume God does not exist or they reshape a god in their likeness with their limitations (Romans 1:22-23). Paul said of these folks for ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused (Romans 1:20-21, NLT2). Others respond by finding themselves in such awe they bow in worship before Him. I once heard that a man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument—and I have experienced too many encounters with Him to dismiss His reality and superiority.
God brought the early Hebrews to the promised land and told them He was going to “give” it to them (Nu 13:2). I am not sure what they assumed about how they might receive that gift but given their later response, they made a false assumption. Of course, receiving this gift sounded great to them UNTIL they reached that land and God told them they had to fight giants and take fortified cities in order to possess that gift.
Consistent with the nature of God, He told them while they would certainly have to fight battles with their own strength to receive this gift, He would go with them and give them His power to bring down city walls and defeat the giants. The point seems obvious that He wanted them to be fully engaged in taking the land but was also requiring them to take huge risks to trust Him to do what was beyond their human abilities.
God works the same way with you and me. It would be fantastic if when we surrendered all that we are to Christ that He would suddenly fill our minds with complete knowledge of the Bible, instill in us an overpowering desire to spend hours talking to Him and studying the Bible, and courageously share our faith with others. Oh yes, and fearlessly take repeated high risks to do whatever He whispers for us to do. But that is NOT God’s ways. He wants us deeply invested in our spiritual growth and service to Him and others. Like the early Hebrews He insists on us trusting fully in Him to do whatever we are incapable of doing. Paul wrote, … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b, ESV). Paul reported of his own life that’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me (Colossians 1:29, NLT2) For us that means straining to take initiative to follow His promptings regardless of our thoughts or feelings, remaining humble and learning from our failures and with the passion of an Olympian, discipline our mind and body to learn to love and do as Jesus did. If we give our all to do our part, God will fulfill His promise to do His part and give us the victory.
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