Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

What did the Lord say to Job when he was complaining? "Where were you when I hung the moon?" That is one of the things that God said to Job. God had to point out the obvious to Job in his situation. In Isaiah, the prophet states the obvious in this way: God's ways are not our ways. Paul has tried to lay out in three chapters how God has been working here on this planet in order to save it. At one time God used Israel as His main way of reaching out and now it is this thing called the church which has included the Gentiles. Paul gives a doxology at the end of this chapter to try to explain God's plans in human terms. I believe Paul knew he could only explain God's plans up to a point and then faith has to take over. We have to believe that God is good and that He is good all of the time. What we find in verses 33-36 is an acknowledgment that God is wise and knowledgeable beyond anything we can fathom and we cannot in good conscience question His plans. We can take these verses to heart in our own personal lives. There have been times that I have questioned what God is doing - or at least allowing - and then I have to come to the realization that I am not God. I can barely see the next step, let alone look around the corner. There is only one acceptable position when in God's presence and that is on our face in complete humility and repentance. Have you been questioning God's plans of late? Have you been taking on more of a role as God's life planner instead of letting God be God and you be a follower? Believe. Faith. Hope. Trust. Love.

The attributes of God, though intelligible to us on their surface yet, for the very reason that they are infinite, transcend our comprehension, when they are dwelt upon, when they are followed out, and can only be received by faith.

Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801–1890)