"Knowing and Understanding"

(Thanks to my dear friend Larry V. for inspiration this one.)

     "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He did foreknow, He did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:28-29).

    A good friend recently shared with me an illuminating point about the Apostle Paul's affirmation of God's working all things together for the good of conforming His trusting children to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

    "We know that He works all things together for good.  But we don't always understand His doing of it."

   No believer will argue the point that God's ways are often beyond our ability to comprehend.  He works from an eternal perspective involving the glory and revelation of the Lord Jesus, "that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him" (Ephesians 1:10).  Our native tendency involves the temporal view that sees so very little of truth and reality.  This constitutes a primary reason for consistently reading and pondering the Scriptures.  God's Word provides an open portal in time that enables us to gaze upon eternal verities that enable us to think, speak, act, and relate in the Light of forever rather than the twilight and darkness of now.  "The entrance of Thy words giveth light.  It giveth understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130).  The Bible plainly states and illustrates the Lord's declaration that "My thoughts are not your thoughts.  Neither are your ways My ways" (Isaiah 55:8). It also declares the perfect faithfulness of the God who "cannot lie" (Titus 1:2).  Thus, as my friend wisely stated, we can know that God works all things together for good.  But we often cannot understand His coordination thereof.

    Solomon commanded, "With all thy getting, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7).  In the light of Scripture, we seek to comprehend the whys and wherefores of God as much as the Holy Spirit will illuminate our minds.  However, such understanding informs us that we cannot understand all (and in the light of God's infinite truth, we actually know very little).  We can, however, know our Lord's heart well enough to trust Him in all things.  "It was impossible for God to lie" declares the writer of Hebrews regarding the Lord's promises to Abraham (Hebrews 6:18).  This we can understand as believers because by definition, our faith involves the commitment of our hearts to the perfect trustworthiness of God in Christ Jesus.  We know Him, and we trust the perfect truthfulness of His heart even if we cannot fathom the workings of His hand.  It is not easy, but we will find it enough in those times when we must choose to see that "the Light shineth in darkness" (John 1:5).  He is enough for our hearts, even if His determinations and allowances sometimes bewilder our minds.

"We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

(I John 5:20)

Weekly Memory Verse

    In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul.

(Psalm 94:19)