Imagine you were looking at a giant map of Washington DC, with all of the streets, cross streets and ally ways, restaurants, businesses and offices. Then, just as you’re in the middle of glorying in your great understanding of this complicated diagram you realize you’re only about an inch away from it. You’ve only been examining just one tiny block of the city; so you pull back and realize the map is bigger than the room. Plus, you realize that there’s an intricate series of color changes, shades and gradients throughout the whole map and they represent the different gas and electric companies, populations, timelines and sometimes even satellite overlays of the huge map. All of a sudden you feel overwhelmed and might even wonder if you really even understand that tiny city block you had been examining. Has this ever happened to you?
It’s happened to me. I think this might even be something of a divine cycle believers are led through. Keeping them humble and reminding them that they are man, and God is God. The past few days have been this process for me. The motion of stepping away from the map to see how huge it really is, then despairing at the enormity of the whole thing, followed by affectionate consolation by the patience and kindness of the loving Father.
My prayer is that as I, and the church, carefully search God, we wouldn’t become conceited to think we are anything because of the tiny square block of understanding we think we have obtained. I pray for deep seated humility in all things, at all times. Asking for mercy because our persistent insults and grace to place a hand over the mouths that hurl them!
Secure our salvation, O God; for the glory of your name! Plant our feet steadfast on your rock, Jesus Christ! Bring us understanding of your Holy Words and of this divinely created world and let us glorify you in truth, for who you truly are and in light of who we truly are—no one, unless in you.
