God Moves in a Mysterious Way

It used to bug me that I couldn’t wrap my mind around God’s mind. Now it’s one of the most comforting and hope-filled facts of my existence. Why?

Imagine a toddler who can fully comprehend everything her parents think, a tiny child with adult understanding. Not only does she realize she can’t have cookies for breakfast; it’s also clear to her what role nutrition plays in each level of her physical and cognitive development, which ingredients make up the cookies in question, and how to cook a gourmet version of the much more practical option of oatmeal.

It’s absurd.

In the some way, if our little pea brains could grasp the infinite depths of the Cosmos-Creator, something would be wrong. When it comes to the rhythms of God, we’re simply asked to trust His love, power, and wisdom.

After a failed attempt at suicide in 1773, William Cowper penned a song that’s recently pervaded my thoughts. It goes a little something like this:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sov’reign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

The next time you scratch your head at the Lord’s seemingly odd designs, let them draw you to worship instead. There will be a day when our sovereign Interpreter will make Himself plain, and all we’ll be able to utter in response will be a holy hallelujah.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord. “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)