What wonder is this, my soul? What is this beauty so great that I, weak human that I am, lose sight of it so easily? For I know I do not begin to comprehend its depth...and yet I know its depth is immense and unending. The moments of greatest worship are yet only fragmental glimpses of the glorious reality of the God who is my Father. If I were to even comprehend hundreds of times more than I do now, it would be nothing in comparison with who He really is. If I were to comprehend enough to end my earthly life, so much that my body could not sustain the exuberance of so great a God and my soul could no longer be held back from Him, I would still have more to know. For He is great, and greatly to be praised.
And how is it that were I to see infinite depths of glory, I would still know little of the depths of his love? And were I to see the unending reaches of his love, would yet know only some of his infinite and perfect beauty? Though he has given me much in creation that is beautiful and worthwhile itself, yet still could He alone suffice with nothing else to satisfy. This is a great God we serve.
His justice may be terrible to those that resist his love and grace, but only because they put themselves in opposition to the greatest and most powerful Good there is. For those that seek Him sincerely and receive His mercy gladly, His justice is awesome and even terrifying...yet without the horrendous terror of one that has turned against it. Those that turn against the justice of God also turn against his mercy and love, for they are inseparable. And they are like the one that dares the ocean and its waves not to crush them when they defiantly stand in opposition. It cannot be done; the waters cannot be held back. God is great and infinite and cannot be resisted; not because He is a tyrant but because his being is so great, so deep, so awesome and permanent that only the fool can hope to stand in opposition, like a blade of grass before an overflowing ocean. To desire such a thing is to desire death and destruction...to destroy oneself by defying the unchangeable Good.
Yes, there is terror in resisting God. And yet shouldn't there be? It does not come from a sort of tyrannical hate. It is the only possible result of an action so blind and foolish. How could it not be a fearsome thing?
But God is not fearsome, not like the powerful dictator waiting to punish those that make a wrong step. No, this glorious God is love and mercy itself; his mercy is just and his justice merciful and loving. He does not give to each according to his deserts or we would all be doomed. He comes down to us; He gives us a chance to accept Him in our fallen and weak state...he becomes one of us, small like us and yet because of that very thing far greater than us. He seeks to help us; to heal us; it is only those who persist in rejecting even His mercy to the very end that will feel the horrifying terror of his glory. For they will have dared the ocean not to crush them though they stand before it in defiance, though this same ocean has offered them safe passage and loving communion.
Truly, God is great...he is to be loved and worshiped. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment