When you want too much of a clue ~ January 26, 2003

Since I started off last semester by talking about wisdom, I thought I'd lack imagination and do the same for this one. Over this Christmas break I had the opportunity to consider the idea of "wisdom" in a new light. The Bible study which I was attending has been working through J. I. Packer's excellent book, Knowing God. At the time which I crashed in, they were discussing the chapter about "God's Wisdom and Ours".

Packer makes some very interesting points in this chapter, which is roughly based off of Ecclesiastes. Did you know that the Teacher is perfectly right? Life IS meaningless. Not once in the Bible does God promise us that He's going to fill us in on everything He's doing in history. Horrible and difficult things happen, like September 11, and it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Out of His grace and for the strengthening of our faith He sometimes lets us see something in hindsight, but really how often does that happen? Not enough for me, I can tell you.

Packer points out the fact that in reality, God's purposes behind life just can't be divined or understood by normal human, or even sanctified, reasoning. His ways are inscrutable unless He chooses to reveal Himself. We would do well do understand this. How many times have I caught myself trying to coach myself through a difficult time by trying to state that this or that must be the reason I'm going through it? And how many times have I just assumed in prayer that I've got a right to know, or that I have some special connection with God such that He's going to tell me all the time? And then when it doesn't happen I get angry and accuse God of breaking His part of the bargain. WHAT bargain?

The truth is, people, if you want to know why things happen in your life God's Word will tell you, not your own analysis of the situation or your basically childish prayers to God. Do you know why people suffer in this world? Because it is fallen. Why can't we find solid proof of exactly how God created the universe? Because the minds of men are in darkness. Maybe that isn't specific enough for you or me, but that's exactly what we need to understand to live. God is much bigger than all our attempts to peg Him down to this or that reason, this or that pattern. That is why the Teacher, in Ecclesiastes 12, concludes that we should "...fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

So next time you run across someone who feels like their life sucks, don't get offended by their "lack of faith" or try to explain "why" it happened to them. Just stand there and love them. Because you know what, life on this earth really does suck. But even so we have a great and merciful God who is working all to the good of those who love Him anyways, and we can count on Him to share with us exactly what we need to know for living. Now that is wisdom.