I've been attending a friend's church the last few Wednesdays while mine is on a month break from our normal small groups, and I heard something tonight that really got me thinking. The preacher tonight spoke about the majesty of God and how we're meant to view our position in light of who He is. He referred to all of creation being found in the palm of God's hand, and to illustrate this he took a marker and drew a small dot in the palm of his own. It was barely visible to even the front rows of the congregation, and served to show that in the grand scheme of things, we're just a tiny blip in history which is a tiny blip in creation which is a tiny blip in the hand of Creator God. The sermon went on to tell us that in light of this, we are to live life in a pattern represented by the symbol for infinity. One half was labeled "KNOWLEDGE" and the other was called "WONDER." The premise was that the more we know about God, the more we're driven to wonder about Him, and the more we wonder about God, the more we're driven to learn about Him. The sermon was accurate and effective, yet I submit that there's even a third part to how we are meant to live. I think that instead of the infinity symbol, we're meant to live in something that looks more like the symbol of the trinity (If you're not familiar with it, look here http://www.ezartsncrafts.com/templates/trinity.gif) Like the infinity symbol, the shape of the trinity creates a neverending path made of different, yet indivisible parts. I think that these three parts, as far as the object lesson applies, are as follows: WONDER-->KNOWLEDGE-->ACTION. I believe that in light of our infinite God, we are called to marvel and wonder at the magnificence, the beauty, and the utter incomprehensibility found in His character. This wonder, as previously stated, drives us to scripture, to the source of our knowledge as to just who is this mighty, wonderful, powerful, I'll quit here because I'll wear out my comma key before I describe Him, God? As we learn about God, then, what do we do? I believe that our knowledge DOES drive us back to wonder, but I think it first compels us to ACT in a way that mirrors our relationship with God. As mentioned before, we are nothing but the smallest of matter in the hand of an infinite God, yet He chooses to know every hair on our heads! Think about it...not only are we a tiny being within a tiny history within a tiny creation, but the Creator of all knows the tiniest part of us! He cares for us so much that immortal God tasted death for the sake of sinful man. I want to say that again because I believe that it's the most powerful statement that He has made to us in the scope of history...IMMORTAL God DIED...for us. What do we do with that?
Infinite, Eternal God does not change, and while from Old Testament to New, the form of our relationship to Him has changed, the attitude of our relationship has not. Our life's goal, then, should be the same as He asked of His people in Micah 6..."He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you ,but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Do Justice: this, redundant as it may sound, means that we need to be able to justify the things we do. It calls us to righteousness which can be found in Christ and Him alone. Love Kindness: in other versions, this is translated "love mercy, which speaks to our call to set aside our own rights for the sake of showing love to others. It mandates that we mirror the life of Jesus, who for our sake, was executed though innocent in every way. Walk Humbly With Your God: this final cry is for us to always remember our place, not just as a tiny grain of sand in the whole of creation, but also as one known and loved by the infinite Creator, unique from the rest of creation, and called out to be separate. We are to be close to God, to join Him where we see Him working, and to seek out His will first and foremost.
I greatly appreciated what I heard tonight, and I hope this may pass along the desire, if even a little bit, to treasure our relationship with the God who is perfect in everything He does, yet still works in and through us.
