Friday, January 15, 2010

No Limitations

Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Acts 17:29

It often seems a bit ludicrous to us to think of making God into an idol of gold, silver, or stone.  Paul points out to the Athenians that a being powerful enough to have created us could not possibly be made out of materials we could fashion and shape with our own hands.  A creator has to be bigger, greater than his creation. 

But, there is another concept in this verse that we like to overlook.  It’s at the very end, and it’s so easy to slip past and speed on to the next verse.  Not only is our Creator not formed by gold, silver, or stone or by the art of our hands, but He is also not formed by our thoughts or conceptions.

You see, our imaginations can do much greater things than our hands.  Our imaginations can fathom concepts and ideas that far exceed the limitations placed upon us by this finite universe in which we live. 

For this reason, we often believe that we have God figured out.  If our imaginations are so free, then surely we know enough to capture the concept of our Creator, right?

I can look back through the course of my life and see how I limit God less and less the more I grow.  But, I still form my idea of Him based on my imaginations.  I still think – sometimes unconsciously, but it’s there nonetheless – that God exists and works only in ways that I can conceive.

I am challenged to move beyond that.  I am challenged to trust that my mind and imaginations are miniscule compared to the resources available to my Creator.  He does not have to work within the bounds of what I can imagine.  That is both terrifying and comforting.  And that is where I want my heart and mind to dwell. 

No comments: