Prayer
I give all praise and thanks to you, my Lord, for your steadfast love, and your continual provision of life for my body and spirit. I thank you that your mercies are new every morning. As I look to you again for mercy on this new day, I pray, O Lord, that you would meet with e now, that you would raise my heart up in joy in the knowledge and love of you. I pray that you would cover all my sins in your gracious love, and cleanse my heart and mind in the blood of Christ. I pray that you would sanctify my thoughts, and the movements of my heart, that I may be wholly dedicated unto you. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reading
Psalm 19 & John 14.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
Meditation.
In pondering the incomprehensibility of our God, we see another glorious imperative set out before us: that we ought ever and always to seek to know him. One of the beauties of this doctrine is that there will always be more to know about God, always more wonders to be uncovered, always another breathtaking and glorious vista of his glory to be seen. Consider even in the creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Ps 19:1-2).
For those who seek, the creation affords a constant source of new insights into the glory of God. There is always more to discover, and this is actually how it’s supposed to be. As we read Genesis 1, we should begin to see that the creation itself is an ever-abounding opportunity to glorify and enjoy God. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the prophet says that God has “put eternity into man’s heart”, and that inner eternity is designed to be filled. Because God remains incomprehensible, this filling will be eternal in nature. Not only as we feast on his beauty in the works that he has made, but more profoundly as we rejoice more and more to come to know him. This is eternal life, that we should know him (Jn 17:3). There will never be an end to that joy. It will be increasingly more glorious and wonderful the further in we go. That is our destiny! Why not set ourselves in that direction right now? Why not set ourselves in this life, above all else, to know, glorify, and enjoy God?
Be ye doers of the word…
If you are an unbeliever reading these words, you need to realise that you were created by God. You cannot comprehend this God. He is not subject to your scrutiny. You cannot approach him. You cannot find him out. You will not discover him under a microscope. You will not find him in the stars with a telescope. And yet, he is not far from each one of us. You can know this God, not by reaching him for yourself, but by receiving him through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:18 we read “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” And again Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you would know God, it is very simple what you must do: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, his only Son. Confess your sins to him, and he will forgive you and make you to be a child of God.
And for those who are believers, here is our great and eternal calling: seek to know him. In your life, be “sold out” for Jesus. That’s an encouragement that we all need to hear constantly, there is no better or higher thing that we can do. There is no more glorious calling in life than this! In Jeremiah 9:23, the prophet says: “Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
In knowing God, there is an endless fountain of beauty, pleasure and joy. Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” C S Lewis once said: ““It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” There is beauty, and wonder to be experienced in God which we cannot yet comprehend. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 we read: “as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”. Brothers and sisters, seek to know him. Set yourselves each day to know God, for there is no greater or better thing, and there will be no end to the joy that we will find in him. SDG.
Prayer of Confession & Consecration.
Lord, I confess that so often I have lost sight of the infinite privileges and joy that you have given to me through Christ. I have been overly occupied with the business of life, and overly fearful and anxious about the difficulties of the present. Please forgive me for having so small a view of you, and for allowing myself to become so earthly minded. Please renew and wash my mind and heart with fresh visions of your glory, and fill my heart with love for you. Please take me to higher and deeper experiences of joy in you, day by day, and make me even today to revel in your glory and beauty. May you increasingly fill your people in my local church with this kind of joy as well. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 8: Seeking the Incomprehensible God (Gen 1:1).