I was struck this week by the reality of a perfect designer.
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I spent the last week at the beach in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. A couple of nights ago, I sat on the beach under a perfectly clear night sky. It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of a clear, starry night. The only way I can express it is to say that I get the feeling that the sky is infinitely far away and yet suffocatingly close all at once; like a big, star covered weight which could come looming down any moment.
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With this picture overhead, and the sound of crashing waves in my ears, I was struck by the thought that God designed this. As I began to think about this, I was amazed at the perfection in God's design. Creation seems to be the perfect blend of stability and change, of precision and unpredictability, both calculated and wild. Look at the waves. The tides come in and go out on the same cycle every month, of every year. Yet, it would be impossible to predict when the next wave will crash into the shore, or where, or how high they will climb. All at once the ocean is so systematic, and yet so wild and unpredictable. I think that is what gives it such beauty. (And the fact that it is really big.)
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Not to be overly melodramatic, but I do wonder if God might intend our lives to mirror creation in this way. The beauty of our life coming in the mix of stability and change, precision and unpredictability, calculated and wild. In all of this our role to only marvel in faith as he unfolds his design.
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I think sometimes I forget my place. Who am I to question such a perfect designer? What knowledge do I have that he may not have discovered? Or what scenario have I thought of that he might have overlooked? So often I make plans, dream dreams, and worry, all the while forgetting my place, and forgetting the power of God. He is good and he is mighty. It is not my place to worry, to complain. Remembering the design of the waves and the grandeur of the ocean makes my thoughts and feelings seem suddenly very insignificant. There is freedom in this kind of smallness, and real joy and adventure in the marvel of God's design.
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2 comments:
Great post Cody. You've constructed a very intuitive analogy that perfectly sums up something I've been thinking about a lot of over the last few months - that God is a God of balance. And because God is a God of balance, we too should live balanced lives.
As I've grow older, I've realized that there are many aspects of our lives that we are required to balance, being careful not to lean too much in one direction or the other. You touched on a few in your post - stability vs change, precision vs unpredictability, and calculation vs ferocious passion.
I would challenge all of your faithful readers to think about the other characteristics/areas of life that need to reflect balance as well. And if your readers are at all like me, I think they'll find that the more they think about it, the more they will see that the list just goes on and on. =)
hi friend, i'm glad you've come back to the blogging world. i like to hear your thoughts and i like to read your thoughts written so poetically.
i also love (like, REALLY love) the picture of waves being a mysterious mix of chaos and order...it's a good way to start to explain or imagine how God's sovereignty plays out in our lives.
i'm glad we can rest in the mysteries of an infinite and good and sovereign God. thanks for sharing this!!
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