In many ways, it was an excellent sign. It was bright red-orange with black letters. And it was affixed to a telephone pole at eye level. You couldn’t miss it. The sign contained information that was quite specific.
The message was unequivocal.
There was much to recommend it; specific, limited, highly visual, nothing to misunderstand. There was just one problem: no context. A vehicle operator would be puzzled by the obvious lack of information.
As we passed that sign (while driving through Virginia), the immediate result was to raise questions. Five miles to/from/until/since ... What? Where? Who? We spent a lot of time discussing that sign. Eventually though, we just had to give up speculating. The potential meanings seemed endless.
Sometimes, it’s that way with God.
Sure, there are all sorts of teachings and events revealed in the Bible that are absolutely crystal clear ... about which we have no misunderstanding. But there are other passages which just leave us scratching our heads. We read of something God did or said, but cannot, definitively, discern its meaning. We get frustrated in our attempts to make some sense of it. No matter how much we speculate, we never reach a conclusion with which we are completely comfortable.
That road sign had all the hallmarks of good communication. Yet, without more information, no one was going to know it’s true meaning. More was needed. But that “more” never came; at least not in the timeframe we occupied.
When God’s communications strike us in similar ways, that’s when we need to recall what is often implied in scripture and is clearly stated in this week’s Isaiah passage: God’s ways are higher than our ways. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
Until God reveals the wider meaning, we are not going to understand.
Does this mean we should not seek knowledge, should not desire to know the will of God? Absolutely not. We are to apply ourselves to such understanding. But we also must accept — and scripture is clear— there are some things that are beyond our comprehension as we currently are
And therein lies the difference. That road sign was never going to yield any further explanation. But God’s “signs” do. As we grow in the Spirit, our discernment changes; our understanding improves.
In time, we will know what is ahead.
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Third Sunday in Lent (March 24, 2019)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=120
Isaiah 55:1-9
Psalm 63:1-8
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Luke 13:1-9
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Mmmm, Breakfast! They have good food at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant, but that’s just the beginning. When we gather Friday mornings at 8:00 for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast, there’s so much more. We read scripture, pray, discuss, and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great way to start the weekend.
Join us.
Steve
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