Dear Faith Family, 

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known, (1 Corinthians 13:12). 

He weighed in at approximately 23 tons and measured some 50 feet in length.  In comparison, she was an average 63-year-old marine biologist.  On an otherwise late summer, routine dive with a pod of humpback whales off the coast of the Cook Islands, everything changed.  He, suddenly, began swimming aggressively toward her. 

Ramming her and pinning her with his head, the whale pushed her away from her boat.  After a 15-minute frightening encounter, the biologist discovered that they were not alone in the water.  Nearby was a man-eater, a tiger shark more than 15 feet in length.  The biologist didn’t understand the behavior of the whales because there were things that she couldn’t see.  Things that she didn’t know. (foodsinthehouse.com) 

Often are the times that I can’t make sense of God’s behavior or lack thereof.  Like why is He, best case scenario, letting these things happen, or, worst case scenario, causing these things to happen?  Whether we’re lamenting the condition of the world or a personal circumstance.  And, what about the times that He doesn’t appear to intervene?  Like why doesn’t He arrest such behavior?  You know, the kind of behavior that doesn’t meet with my approval. 

If one thing becomes clear with age, it is the truth that not much is clear!  God knows stuff that I just don’t know.  He sees things (like tiger sharks) that I just don’t see.  And, so in fact, He does stuff that I don’t understand.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts, (Isaiah 55:8-9). 

Maybe it’s time to stop trying to talk God into what He’s not doing and to start focusing on what He is doing.  Start by giving thanks that He knows stuff that we don’t know.  Thank Him that He sees things that we can’t see (including the future).  Thank Him that He’s bigger.  Bigger than what we’re facing.  Bigger than what we’re scared of.  Bigger than what we can’t see.  Bigger than us.  Just bigger. 

Thankful, 
Pastor Karl