Things I don't understand

Today: Psalm 146-150

There are a few things in life that I just don't understand. Things like...the mullet. Crocs with socks. Girls who don't like chocolate. Bob Dylan's music. Calculus. Drivers who forget to turn off their blinkers. People in Seattle who hate coffee.

Okay...there are a lot of things in life I don't understand. :)

When it comes to God, there are DEFINITELY some things I still don't get. I still don't understand the "little" things about God--like why did He create mosquitoes? :) On the serious side, I definitely don't understand bigger things about God, either. How does He keep track of all of us human beings, animals, plants, planets...and mosquitoes...simultaneously?

I think the writer of this psalm wrestled with some of the same questions:

He heals the heartbroken
and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
and assigns each a name.
Our Lord is great, with limitless strength;
we'll never comprehend what he knows and does.

This small paragraph illustrates the undefinable nature of God: He's personal enough to touch and heal real people in need, but big and powerful enough to name the stars and keep track of them all. Wow.

The best responses we can have?

Trust God always.
Know what we don't know.
Believe Him (which is also important in the moments when we think we know the answers).
Be thankful...that no matter what, He sees, knows, and absolutely LOVES us...even when we don't necessarily understand why.

Tomorrow: Proverbs 1-3

Are you still in awe that you're Mine?

Today: Psalm 32-35

The bride walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with her dad. She was breathtakingly beautiful--with angelic blonde curls and a beaming smile. I love watching brides walk down the aisle, but I also adore looking at the grooms' faces. This groom's face had the perfect look of happiness/awe/amazement that this gorgeous woman--my former roommate Hannah--was going to marry him.

As I watched Hannah and Matt get married this afternoon, I was reminded of the church service I attended this morning.* At one point, the pastor asked the congregation, "Are you still in awe of being God's people?" Sometimes God personalizes the question even further and asks, "Are you still in awe that you're Mine?"

I think David felt that sense of wonder at different points in his life. In today's passage, here's what grabbed my attention:

The skies were made by God's command;

he breathed the word and the stars popped out.

He scooped Sea into his jug,

put Ocean in his keg.

Earth-creatures, bow before God;

world-dwellers—down on your knees!

Here's why: he spoke and there it was,

in place the moment he said so.

Wow! The God who breathed the stars and scooped out the seas has called you and me His. Talk about awe-inspiring!

I think many times, when we're little kids or perhaps when we're new believers in God, we have that sense of awe that I saw in Matt's eyes today. We're amazed that the Creator of the universe loves us, knows us and chose us.

There is an awesome power in wedding day love. It's love that's new and beautiful. But if that sense of awe remains 50 years from today--if it's there when both Hannah and Matt are grey and wrinkled after weathering life's joys and challenges, it will be a different kind of beautiful. It will be like a couple I saw dancing at their wedding--a man and woman in their 70s who danced a beautiful waltz-style to all the Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and Michael Jackson music played at the reception. This couple didn't seem to care about the music or what other people thought--they just kept dancing. They only saw each other. They were still in awe-filled love.

Lord, let us be in awe that we're Yours--today, 50 years from today and forever.

Tomorrow: Psalm 36-39



*Today I was inspired by the message, people and worship of Langley Evangelical Free Church in Langley, BC, Canada.