To Ponder God

Once the human mind gains a measure of knowledge, it often becomes impressed with its achievement. This is as true in the spiritual realms as in other areas of life.

It is also tricky, because firmly-understood truth—which should be positive—becomes a foundation for well-defined mental precepts. And well-defined precepts could (not will, but could) become rigid, offensive dogmas.

Scripture says, Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. (I Cor. 8:1b,2 NIV)

When people become rigid, they lose their desire to search—to think deeply or to meditate further. There is a danger of reducing everything to rules and regulations. And God cannot be defined by precepts, dogmas, or regulations.

A psalmist said, Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps. 111:2)

To truly know God is to know He will never be fully known.

Originally published July 6, 1984.

And Moses Listened

Moses communicated directly with God, and God told him to do amazing things. When he did, miracles happened. It would be enough to make a person proud. But the Bible tells us, Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth. (Num. 12:3 NKJV)

Moses demonstrated this humble nature more than once. When his father-in-law Jethro came to hear everything that God had done for Moses and the Israelites, Jethro was more than a little impressed. He concluded the God of Israel was the God above all gods.

Nevertheless, the next day Jethro offered advice to Moses after seeing the long line of people waiting for Moses to settle their disputes. He said, you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. (Ex. 18:18)

Moses listened. He didn't think God spoke only to him, and he willingly received from another person. Without a trace of pride he incorporated his father-in-law’s advice by choosing men to help him with the task.

Originally published September 4, 1992.

Focus Upon Him

We cannot enter God’s presence through our own efforts. If we think we can, we deceive ourselves. We’re like the early Babylonians.

These people found a plain in Shinar and settled there. (Gen. 11: 1b NIV) Because there were no stones on the plain that they could use for building homes, they became inventive and learned to make bricks. Their achievement filled their hearts with pride and they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered. . . . (v. 4a)

If we focus on our achievements, we’ll have no time for God. We won’t recognize our problems or our sin, and we won’t focus upon Him.

When the people of Babylon became proud, they no longer recognized their human limitations and they no longer humbled themselves before God. They focused upon themselves and what they could do. Eventually, the thing they tried to avoid happened to them. They were scattered. And their tower did not reach heaven.

Originally published July 1, 1988.