Welcome back to Theology Thursday! After a week off, we are ready to dive back into our ongoing discussion of what this God is like. Last time, we discussed how God can be found in our suffering, using the brokenness of this world to teach us and make us more like Him even as we await His return, when He will restore all things to the way He intended them to be. The ability to direct all things in such a manner implies a couple of important things about God.
First, He must have a pretty good idea of what is going on in the world, including what has happened and what will come to pass. Scripture teaches us that this is, indeed, the case. In Isaiah 46, God declares, “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9-10). In fact, God submitted this exhaustive knowledge of all things as proof that He alone is God. He challenged the wayward Israelites to demonstrate that their idols were truly gods by explaining what is to come: “Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods” (Isaiah 41:22-23). Our God knows all things past and present, possible and actual, and He puts that knowledge to work in directing all things to the end He has planned.
Second, God must not be limited by distance as we are. For him to order all things so as to accomplish His ends, His reach must be long. Not surprisingly, this is what we find in the Bible. David wrote, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you” (Psalm 139:7-12). God is not hindered by location or by any sort of cover from going where He wants to go and doing what He wants to do.
All of this may sound somewhat pedestrian. Should we be impressed that God knows some stuff and does some stuff? Yes, we should!
What is at stake here is not simply a bit of knowledge or skill. What we are affirming is that our God is unlimited in His knowledge and in His ability to be present. God’s knowledge is unlimited. Nothing escapes His gaze. All suffering is seen, all evil is noted, all goodness is witnessed. Nothing is hidden from Him, public or private. God’s presence is not limited by space. He can be where He wants to be, doing what He wants to do when He wants to do it. He does not miss out on anything by being at the wrong place. Spatial issues do not hinder Him.
What this means is that not only does God have the power to direct all things to the end He has planned, but also nothing that hinders us from doing what we want will stop Him from accomplishing His purposes. He is prepared for all events and able to complete what He has started. Paul wrote, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). God has declared it so: “I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it” (Isaiah 46:11).
Therefore, we return to the same questions as before: Do you trust Him? Do you believe that His purposes are for your benefit? Will you give your life to Jesus and follow Him today? As always, questions and comments are welcome through Facebook or private message.
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