Today’s readings remind me of the immensity of God; He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. But the readings also remind me of how limited our human minds are in understanding God being omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient!
“Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss?” (Jb 38.16) Last week we were at the beach and certainly understood this question God posed to the despairing Job. On our night walk we looked out at the ocean noting both its beauty and its mystery. We could only imagine the creatures swimming about in the “depths of the abyss;” creatures God created and placed there.
“Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, that you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths?” (Jb 38.19-20) Early mornings found us in awe of the beauty of the sun rising over the ocean in the east as the full, pale moon faded away in the western sky.
Pause
The natural world should always give us pause to marvel at God’s power whether it’s the ocean or the sky or even our own backyards, but Psalm 139 beautifully illustrates God’s power in the very creation of ourselves. He knew us before we were born. He knows our joys and our sorrows. We are never far from him in His thoughts. But I think it’s easier to accept God the artist of the natural world than to consider God the artist of me.
His mighty hand in creating me and his intimate knowledge of me should cause us always to choose joy. I may turn from Him when I sin, or I may not turn to him amid despair and worry but He never leaves me. I am made in His image (Genesis 1:27) and I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14).
Choose Joy
As our family adjusts to some new challenges, I noticed my recent journal entries repeat the themes of choosing joy over despair, turning to God for strength, and finding rest in God’s love. Reflecting on our memories of the ocean, marveling at the change of the seasons and working in the fall garden are ways to see God’s omnipotence. Meditating on Scripture and praying are ways to experience that He is always omniscient and omnipresent in my life. May we all experience God’s creative powers today wherever we are, and may we experience joy in knowing “If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea” (Ps 139:9) God is there to guide us.
Beautifully illustrated reading. It causes you to appreciate who you are to the world and most of all Gd.