It's perhaps one of the most often quoted and beloved verses in the Bible, appearing on everything from coffee mugs to keychains to decorative, framed pictures hanging on the walls of our homes: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." ( Proverbs 3:5 )
I've quoted the verse many times myself. I've "stood on" it in many situations where I felt clueless as to what was going on around me; however lately, I've come to realize just how much I've been viewing life through my creaturely perspective and not the Creator's. I've begun to see just how deep the problem is in my own thinking. In other words, I think I've neglected to see the full scope of what this wisdom is teaching us.
I believe that's why the Apostle Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ( Romans 12:2 )
Granted, we can only see in part from God's perspective and know Him in part because of his infinite Being, but we can know Him for the simple fact that He has chosen to reveal himself to us, these lumps of lifeless clay in the hands of the Potter who sovereignly determines how he'll shape and sculpt us.
He wants us to know Him. Jesus prays in John 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
And even if our understanding is limited when it comes to God and our knowledge of Him, what can be known about Him from the creature's perspective is enough to satisfy the soul and keep us coming back for more delicacies. What can be known for us is a never-ending well of Living Water and Jesus is right, ( John 4 ) we never thirst again.
Trust Him with this. It is enough because He says it is. We'll drive ourselves crazy trying to understand the tensions He allows to stick in His Word to us, and we'll do damage to them in the process. Just admire them from the distance and trust Him.
But also, I believe, and this is just as crucial, we have to see that nothing we understand in ourselves can be trusted. We are all self-deceived. I mean as believers, not just as unbelievers. This is a hard one for us. Fallen creatures are curved in on themselves as Luther stated. I'm beginning to wake up to the truth that I've been standing in the creature's corner, fighting and defending myself and what I understand to be true because the truth of Scripture oftentimes assaults my senses, offends my sensibilities, and stretches my brain into a pretzel.
However so, the Holy Spirit leads us out of our spiritual blindness in salvation then helps us bring that new sight into sharper focus during the sanctification process. And as we let go of our creaturely thinking, held tightly with firm, white knuckles, God's will becomes clearer while our understanding slowly fades into the background. And this is pleasing to God. Listen:
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." ( Philippians 2:12 & 13 )
Before Paul, Jeremiah the Old Testament prophet said that God will make us to know His power and might and name. ( Jeremiah 16:21 )
Nothing has helped me to grasp this truth and renew my mind like studying the attributes of God. I've tried to record in a notebook every Bible verse that deals with God's sovereignty, and I had to stop because His rule and reign is on every page of Scripture. It's a tightly woven thread that holds all of His other attributes together. I said that in human language attempting to convey that God is all of His attributes at once. He doesn't lay aside His mercy while displaying His wrath. He doesn't stop being love or holy while He judges sin. His love and holiness demand His justice; in truth, He would not be loving or holy without exercising justice.
From my creature position I assume the things I think God must not and simply cannot do, the way I think God has to behave and be, like I would know that. I have had to learn to measure each one of my humanly notions by the Scripture, no matter how tightly and long I've embraced these sacred cows. God's ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Therefore, it is in fear and trembling, we work these old creation thoughts out for good of our new creation hearts and minds. If it's a thought we never thought could be questioned, then that's probably a good indication we should question it. Our family traditions, background beliefs, and human loyalties can also run miles wide. But many of mine, I now see, have been an inch thick. And more I discover as time goes along.
Knowing God by J.I. Packer has been, I believe, one of the best books I've ever read outside of Scripture to help me know God better, not just facts about God, which was my problem for quite some time, but actually know God Himself. In it Dr. Packer quotes A.W. Pink ( Arthur Pink, 1886-1952 ), an English Bible teacher, on several occasions. So when a pastor, recently and highly, recommended Pink's book The Attributes of God, I ordered it remembering his name and quotes from Dr. Packer although I was unfamiliar with Pink.
I just finished the book, and would place it ( in my humble opinion ) right up there with Knowing God. In fact I want to read it again - this time slower. It's one of those rare books that you read a little and then have to put down in order to absorb what you've just read, letting it marinate a bit until the truth can warm and satisfy the soul. The chapters were first published as magazine articles. Anyway, I love to pass along good things I discover.
Happy Lord's Day!
