I am presently reading a very helpful book by Christopher Wright, The God I Don't Understand. Of course he impresses me also because he wrote very nice words about my son Kent's book, After Shock: Searching for Honest Faith When Your World is Shaken. I recommend both books!
Wright correctly makes the point that we can have deep faith yet struggle with things we don't understand. He affirms that God created us with a built in desire to learn, to question, to search, to reason, to know all we should and become all we ought to be. And yet, God has not made all knowledge available to us. He has revealed in nature, in Scripture and in Jesus all we need to know. Yet there are mysteries we will not understand in this life - nor perhaps in the next life either.
We believe in an all powerful, all knowing Creator: the One who judges nations and individuals and stands above any judging we might wish to do. He welcomes our questions and understands our laments, our pain and our complaints. However in His perfect wisdom He has chosen not tell us all we would like to know.
In his opening chapter, Wright references several old hymns that affirm we don't know or understand some of the ways of God. These hymns raise questions and yet affirm knowledge and faith.
One he quotes is a hymn rarely sung, yet I love both because of the words and the melody chosen for it. I love the mixture of awe, wonder, affirmation, hope and faith expressed in this hymn. Hope you can pause for a moment and worship as you read it today.
| I CANNOT TELL by William Fullerton I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship, Should set His love upon the sons of men, Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers, To bring them back, they know not how or when. But this I know, that He was born of Mary When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home, And that He lived at Nazareth and labored, And so the Savior, Savior of the world is come. I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here. I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
When He the Savior, Savior of the world is known. I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Savior, Savior of the world is King! |
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