The vastness and immensity of God presents us finite folk with lovely paradoxes. Consider this one: the knowledge and power of God are truly unbounded, and yet He cares about the smallest detail of your life and doings. This is both comfort and warning.
It is undeniable comfort to remember that the King of Heaven—the one who created and upholds all things and has cherubim at His command and who dwells in unapproachable light—is intimately involved in the affairs of men. This is His story, and he is working all things to His glory and to the good of His people. We are in uncertain times, but the purposes of God are ever faithful, ever sure. It looks to us like the world around us is going up in flame, and it might be, but if so, it is a controlled burn set by the divine fire chief for His good pleasure. Nothing can thwart God’s plans and purposes. We are all of us in the palm of His hand. This is comfort.
But there is warning as well. And here is the paradox: the great and omnipotent God of the cosmos has crafted a story so great that the choices of the characters truly matter. It would be easy to stop halfway and say, “I’m just along for the ride. God is doing whatever He’s doing, and I’m just a passive observer.” The ditch on one side is fearful anxiety, and the ditch on the other side is slothful presumption; we must avoid both.
When we gather in the presence of God with the saints on the Lord’s Day, we walk the path between the ditches. We come to worship at the throne of the Almighty God, acknowledging His supreme power and authority over all things. And also we come to hear the commands of God proclaimed and explained. We come to confess our sins and to receive forgiveness and to be equipped and strengthened for godly living.
Joshua Edgren – January 7, 2024
