Well, let’s not try to understand, let’s just believe. It was a hundred years before the Church ever began to try to explain the atonement. A hundred years! The fathers never tried; Paul never tried; Peter never tried. It was only when Greek influence came in that men began to try to think their way through it and give us explanations. And I appreciate those explanations. But for my part, I just stand and gaze on Him and say, “I don’t know, I don’t know!”
Think about God's infinite, abounding, unchanging grace in light of His vast ways and thoughts.
God’s thoughts are far above our thoughts and His ways above our ways:
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 "For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, nor [are] your ways My ways," says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
1 Corinthians 2:16
For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. <—— We have sufficiency in what he gives us to know!
>>> Isaiah 40:13
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has taught Him?
Romans 11:34
For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?
YET, He has thoughts toward us:
Jeremiah 29:11-12
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Psalm 139:17-18
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 40:5
Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
God, who doesn't sleep or slumber, seems to ALWAYS be thinking of us, and shows us immense things that we could NEVER know otherwise!
Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Psalm 121:2-6
2 My help [comes] from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD [is] your keeper; The LORD [is] your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
NLT translates verse 5 as:
The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
Other Notes:
- THIS IS GRACE!!
- Would to God that I would be able to think of Him more and more often during the course of any given day!