I have been reading a devotional by Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ: The Beatitudes Edition. This week I came across this quote. (Christ speaking) "What I require of you is obedience, not an understanding of the heights of glory or the depths of divine mysteries. To demand answers not for you to know weakens your faith." I have thought a lot about these words since reading them. Some of us like to know as much as we can about things. That why gossip magazines are put at the check stand. Who is doing what, who is with whom, who broke up with whom, who is going to be in this movie or win this or that game or tournament. We somehow feel left out if we are not in the inner circle.
Many of us like to, no, demand to know the whys of the world. In theology, why did God do this and not that. We even question the wisdom of God or even His existance because He didn't things the way we think He should have. I demand answers, we want to know it all. There a Jack Nicolson movie line, "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!" In the case of God, it is true. His ways are deep and profound that we cannot handle them. A novice reading a PHP manual can easily get confused and have trouble understanding what it says. And some reading this don't even know what PHP is. I had an old professor that used to say, "I don't know most things . . " He then made some observation. But I am struck by the beginning. I don't know most things and never will.
That is where faith comes in. God doesn't have to explain Himself to me or anyone. And He doesn't need me trying to do it for Him. Why does God ask us to . . . ? Why did God chose the death of His son as the way to atonement? I don't know, but I believe that He did. Why is the world the way it is and not a different way? I don't know. It is just the way God did it. One day He may explain it to us, or not. What I know is that He called me to walk with Him and His son. Daddy, why are with going this way? Because that is the way the Father asked us to go. No matter how much inquiring minds what to know, knowing is not my job. Following is.
