Guest Post by Lauralea from Of a Single Heart

Big Enough to Worship

"If God were small enough to be understood, He wouldn't be big enough to be worshiped." - Evelyn Underhill

Over and over in the Bible, God proves His sovereignty. Would you set a bush on fire to speak to your servant? Would you destroy demon-possessed people with a massive flood? Would you let an underdog slaughter a giant? Hmm. Let's try the New Testament! Would you feed 5,000 people with one lunch? Would you walk on water alongside the disciples boat to prove your power? 

Would you die on a cross?

Humans didn't understand then. We humans always think we have it all right, and when God "wrecks" our plans, we whine. Most of us would be ashamed to admit this, but we whine LOUDLY. 

 Moses complained that he wasn't the man for the job. Noah probably wondered what rain was, and how much longer he would have to build the boat. David was bold in battle, but he was surrounded by doubtful brothers who told him he was insane to go out alone. The disciples were literally living with Jesus (in case you missed it, Jesus is God), and they still wanted to spend 1 year's worth of wages on food for the 5,000 people waiting to eat. They thought Jesus was a ghost when he walked on water. Obviously, God's ways are not like ours. 

He's...God.

He has remarkable purposes and plans that blow our minds. The bush, the flood and ark, the underdog, the lunch, the walking on water incident... all lead up to the impossible possibilities of glory for the Lord. And yet, instead of worshiping Him, we find that we're doubtful. We become skeptical of whether or not things are going to be okay. 

-The disciples didn't understand when Jesus, (who had just fed 5,000 people that afternoon,) walked on the water. He climbed in the boat and the storm stopped. Yet, their "hearts were hardened". 

-The Israelites had many tangible forms of God's provision and they still complained and hesitated to do the next thing. They waited around and did things the hard way over and over and over and over. 

- Moses shifted blame, didn't follow directions, and tried to cover up things His way. He even saw the face of God and had a shiny face for awhile afterward. Yet he still fought God's plans and tried to do it his own way. 

Don't laugh! We're not any better. We don't see how God is doing good things the very minute it gets harder. Have you lost a job? A loved one? Are you waiting on something to come that doesn't seem possible? Are you hesitant to do what you feel lead to? Do you doubt that God can DO things? I'm sure the answer is yes to more than one of these. 

We want to know. We want to see results. We want to understand everything that is happening. 

Jesus died an unjust, cruel death to bring about justice and goodness for the whole world. He died to save us. We may not understand everything "terrible" in our lives, but we can be assured that He is sovereign and that He IS working for good. 

How could we have faith if we understood everything God was doing? We would cave in under stress trying to carry out supernatural pressure and holy plans. We aren't holy. We are human. God uses us in spite of us- He doesn't need us. But he wants us. He knows we would never be able to follow His directions if we knew all He would have us to accomplish in a day. Life is a mystery. Deuteronomy 29:29 says: 'The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.'

Mysteries keep us in suspense, with baited breath, to see the outcome of a story. In God's grand story of humanity, we can expect everything to work out for good. Just how it will all happen is what takes faith. Don't seek to understand, dear sisters! Seek to do the next thing in front of you. Seek to have faith in the mysterious and good God we serve.