More than we know

Scripture uses images for God that we can understand: Father, Son, (Holy) Spirit, King, Lord, Bridegroom. But do those concepts really describe God?

I thought of that question when my wife and I were discussing why our Bridegroom permits horrible things to sometimes happen to His bride, or why our Father sometimes permits terrible things to happen to His children. After all, I would do my best to protect Nancy from harm, even at the cost of my life. I would do the same for our children. And yet, we all know very bad things happen to Christians -- even those whose lives are exemplary for faith and holiness.

I've concluded much of the answer lies in our understanding of who God is. He is Father, but at the same time so much more than Father. He is Bridegroom, but at the same time so much more than Bridegroom. He is Lord, but yet so much more than that.

God Himself told us through the prophet Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways above your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts"(Isaiah 55:8-9). Many centuries later, St. Augustine wrote, "If it can be understood, it is not God;" To which, St. Thomas Aquinas added, "We cannot grasp what He is, but only what He is not. Whatever can be understood or thought of, is less than God."

When God permits tragedy into our lives, He is acting like a loving Father or affectionate Bridegroom. We just don't understand all there is to understand about His relationship with us as Father or Groom.

We do not understand because we are so terribly limited by our humanness. But in our humanness, through His supernatural grace, we can still learn to place ourselves in His care when He says, "I love you. Trust me."