Friday, April 30, 2010

Can We Ever Know What God is Thinking? Amos 4:13

God seems hidden and mysterious, and certainly wonderful. Though we can see his handiwork in creation can we know His thoughts?

“He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth- the Lord God Almighty is his name.” Amos 4:13, NIV.

God created mountains, whole ranges of them some which span continents and ascend a mile into the sky. He creates the wind, even hurricanes that can destroy cities. He changes the dark to dawn and daylight to night. He treads the high places of the earth where man dare not go as if they were the grit on the floor. He is awesome in every detail and dimension.

The list of His wonders includes the surprise that God “reveals his thoughts to man!” You would think the catalog would continue with God sets stars in orbit or He scooped out the depths of the seas, or God is more powerful than millions of atomic bombs, but included with the wonders of God is that He “reveals His thoughts to man.” It becomes equal to the others. For God to so honor us is part of His glory.

The word “Reveal” suggests something hidden that is uncovered. Many truths about God are obvious to the average man such as His mighty power, but there is more to God. He wants to reveal His thoughts to us, He could withhold them and it would be to His glory to do so; but it is more glorious of God to reveal His thoughts to us.

But why man? No scripture says that God shares His thoughts with angles or any other beings yet to rebellious mankind God deigns to share His thoughts. Only mankind is in the image of God and so only mankind can begin to understand and share intimacy with the Lord God Almighty. We were made to hear His thoughts.

God is a communicator and has communication for us.
• He speaks through the creation.
• He speaks in the human conscience.
• He has spoken through his Son, Jesus.
• And he speaks through the written Word.
• And he speaks to us in our personal communion of prayer.
• If we wait in the silence of prayer we may hear Him communicate in the prompting of our hearts.

I want to know the thoughts of the Lord God Almighty. Thoughts are not just communication they are the expression of the heart; plans, loves, wisdom, longings, and hurts. To think He “Reveals his thoughts to man,” makes me say WOW!

(c) Adron 4/30/10