At times we're limited by the the boundaries of our senses and our mind's ability to truly contemplate and grasp the idea of a reality beyond those boundaries that we find more familiar. In a manner of speaking, it's a limitation that we don't commonly acknowledge in our daily lives, but one that exists none the less inside of a greater reality. That greater and true reality may cause our limited senses to struggle because it's a reality beyond the reach of their current physical experience.
The greater reality I'm referring to is the one...
... where our God lives...
"Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal. Beneath this surface the wings of each living being stretched out to touch the others’ wings, and each had two wings covering its body. As they flew, their wings sounded to me like waves crashing against the shore or like the voice of the Almighty or like the shouting of a mighty army. When they stopped, they let down their wings. As they stood with wings lowered, a voice spoke from beyond the crystal surface above them. Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the LORD looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me."
“Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” Ezekiel 1:22-28 (NLT), Ezekiel 2:1 (NLT)
We're lulled by a set of common occurrences and the laws of nature that create a certain reliable environment that we're reasonably comfortable in because it's familiar to us. We're most comfortable with what we can control, contain, and know reliably and with repetitive certainty. But unless we're challenged to face any reality beyond our own known world and sphere of life, we're sometimes similar to an art connoisseur who's only focusing on a minor detail of a painting and missing the more complete portrait. In our case, focusing most on things in this life and the known world could allow us to miss the larger portrait of our God.
Although we can know quite a number of things about our God most reliably and with certainty, for the most part our God exists far beyond that reliable sphere of our physical lives and comfort zone. What this might mean to us is that in order to really begin to know Him we have to recognize that our known little sphere of life is just a small bubble that resides within the greater reality of the massive and omnipresent God who created us and everything in that "known world".
We know He resides with us intimately, but we have to consider also the size of the God who breathes stars into existence and creates worlds as He chooses. The universe is only known by man to a very limited degree and no one among the mass of humanity knows where it ends, but I assure you that if it does indeed end, our God knows its extent and even what exists beyond that. Scripture tells us that He's omnipresent, so if He's here with us, He's there also. A God that big, compared to the stature and presence of any one human being, or even the the entirety of humanity would surely command respect and awe...
...and He IS that big.
We belong to and serve an amazingly amazing God. Compared to Him, we're so infinitely tiny, and along with us, our greatest troubles might seem so unspeakably far beneath His notice. But in His eyes, we're not and they're not. Amazingly, His focus is on us and His love for us so deep, that He knows the exact number of hairs on our heads. His love for us is exampled by the sacrifice of His own Son in a heart breaking and deeply loving effort to redeem us. Yet there are those who reject Him and so many who disrespect or even despise Him - the very one who created us. Still, He makes an appeal to us all to come to Him and He answers our every prayer in His all knowing wisdom and discretion in ways that are always for our benefit. Sometimes the answer is no and even then we have to be content and trust the God who's focus is continually on our eternal profit and protection.
Think about how our Father allows Himself to be revealed in scripture...
"But in my distress I cried out to the LORD ; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears. “Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds. A great brightness shone around him, and burning coals blazed forth. The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were confused. Then at the command of the LORD, at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters." 2 Samuel 22:7-17 (NLT)
I think we have a tendency toward tunnel vision based on the limited sphere of our humanity, but the God who reigns sovereignly over everything that exists is without our limitations. And what we may know in comfort of our physical realm is hardly the truth of all that exists...
Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit,a and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Revelation Chapter 4 (NLT)
Who now among mankind can know Him completely in all that He is? What mind can contain Him? How powerful and awesome He is beyond what we can accurately conceive in our present form. He is all that He is and I find Him amazingly amazing in just what little I can know of Him now ... and how wonderful it will be to spend eternity knowing Him better!
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
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