The Wisdom of God that Passes all Understanding

Do you read the Bible dear soul?

I was in my late 40s when I first started reading it. Exhaustion, from persevering in a managerial position in Higher Education, led me to a position where God could call me back to Him. He enrolled evangelical students to help me on the way.....and after 6 months or so I found myself giving my life to Christ. I was so happy that anyone wanted me, it seemed like a gift from heaven... it was!!! 

The priest of the Anglican Church where this happened immediately encouraged me to read 'The Bible in a Year'. Various words lept off the pages but one which comes back to me again and again is from Isaiah 55:8 'Your thoughts, are not MY Thoughts; your ways are not MY Ways'. The quote continues......

v9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways,

and My thoughts than your thoughts. 

And it goes on to say how His Word can soften hard hearts, just as water softens hard ground. No talk of heads or brains, only the heart, the Inner being. And how clear it has become to me over the years that His Wisdom, that passes all human understanding, truly softens and changes, not simply our hearts, as emotions, but the whole orientation of our lives. In Biblical understanding the 'heart' stands for the fullness of emotions, mind, soul and will with Spirit! And in me, the wonder of God's love in all His dimensions, has day by day, changed the narrow-mindedness, fear, misery and bitterness hidden in my heart, to gratitude and desire to be with Him and to serve. I desire to surrender all of my being to His apparent powerlessness, in worldly terms, and yet He provides an inner Strength, and wisdom in Love, to share! 

I wonder if you have experienced this mystery of transformation?  Many times now I have faced pain that has emerged from the depths. After repenting my separation from God in wanting to run from the pain, I have heard in my heart the cry of Christ from the Cross, 'Why have you abandoned me?'   So this inner (and therefore outer) transformation relates in experience to the greater mystery that passes human understanding - the Cross itself!    St Paul 'analyses' it to some extent in saying that it is a stumbling block to the Jews (who look for a sign), foolishness to the Greeks (who sought knowledge and understanding) and yet to those who believe in Christ it is LIFE! And so it is. 

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (Isaiah 29:14). .... 1Corinthians 1:18-19. This is what He did for me, as I needed to release my 'high' position and understanding of my purpose, and seek His way of Love.

Paul underlines the upside-downess of God's provision -"Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:24a-25). 

And again: "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;........ that no flesh should glory in His presence........

that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” verses 27-31

I find it a great mystery to realise, that God's delight in me relates to my broken and contrite heart that knows my total dependance on Him, not all the gifts He gave me growing up so I could earn a living!! And I have learned that as God looks at us through the Love of the Cross, forgiven and loved, so we must regard others through the Cross...through God's wisdom and compassion...and treat the lowly especially, with respect, and the arrogant with kindness because we do not know what inner crosses they have suffered. There but by the grace of God, go I! We don't love their arrogance, but we love the soul and God-given-image hidden within the person.

Maybe you are more mature than I, but everyday I wake up, and am tempted into the pit with 'aloneness' or 'hard done to', or 'always working'. But these invitations hold no power any more. So I choose to praise God and give thanks for every trial, and for all He has brought me through. God invites us into the Love that will not let us go. In His Wisdom, that passes all understanding, I open my heart door through praise and thanksgiving, and welcome His Spirit, wisdom and guidance for the day. 

So dear reader, you too can receive the wisdom that passes all understanding, by allowing the 'old man' with worldly ways to yield to the cross, and seek new life in Christ, in faith, hope and love. It was a Catholic priest who said to me, 'You don't give your life to Christ, once! You do it every day, every moment when you sense you are absent from joy and hope!' And the Morning prayers of the Orthodox Church are doing exactly that.   Lets open our heart door to Jesus' knock (Revelation 3: 20)* and let Him in deeper to our darkened, hardened self-centred hearts that we may be led by Him deeper into the Wisdom of the Kingdom, and go in His joy and love, to serve in Ways we may not understand!

Lord have mercy on us, as we open our hearts and surrender all fear and self-righteousness to Your cross, and look for Your resurrection grace. Amen

*“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20)