Monday, January 31, 2011

Stars and Band-Aids

Today, I had another one of those reminders about why I need to read slowly. Especially the Bible.

Psalm 147 is one of those great psalms we like to read at worship services because it talks about how wonderful and awesome God is. But embedded in this psalm are these words:

3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

If we don't read slowly, we will miss how amazing it is to find these two verses side by side. With the one hand, we have a God of infinite knowledge and power who is counting every star flung throughout the galaxy. With the other hand, God is stooping down on one knee like a gentle mother and putting band-aids on our scraped knee.

I have heard it said that most of our trouble with God stems back to our inability to hold these two contradictory ideas about God together. He is unfathomable greatness. He is uncomfortable nearness. He is mighty beyond words. He is personal beyond reason. He is holy mystery and wholly other.

And somehow today, I am finding great comfort in this mystery. A god that I could understand would quickly become a god that I would control or twist to my own ends. But a star-holding, band-aid wielding Master makes me pause and simply say, "Wow."

May you live today in the tension of a God who is far beyond you. And yet, right here with you. May this tension bring you to a deeper definition of faith; faith in one you cannot ever fully explain. And that's okay.

Journey on-
Nick

1 comment:

Marcia said...

Wow! Excellent stuff!