Growing Through Challenge - Humanity Confronting Infinity

                            STUNNING QUESTIONS

In the book of Job, chapter 26, after cataloging a long list of things humans think they know and observe about God, Job concludes with this arresting statement... "And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?"

Job begins this chapter by asking another penetrating question of those who claimed to understand so much about the Creator's ways, yet brought Job such discouraging counsel, saying to them... "With whose help have you uttered words, and whose spirit has come forth from you?"

So, whether we are trying to give good advice to another, or we are struggling to come to grips with our own personal beliefs, the question I want you to ponder is simply this... How sure are you that what you say or what you believe is really the Infinite Creator's Truth???"

                                       CONSIDER

In all of this we are dealing with a God whom none of us has ever seen. We are dealing here in matters of faith, not sight... sincere doubters are welcome to the quest.

There are many hundreds of religions around the world with many followers absolutely devoted to each one.

Within the Christian faith alone there are hundreds of denominations, and sometimes scores of variations of the same denomination.

Among serious students in the same faith and denomination there exists widely different views of what is the proper interpretation of scriptural passages and doctrines.

                           BRAINSTORMING QUESTION

Where do beliefs and convictions come from? Consider; culture, family, society, books, lectures, sermons, TV, movies, friends, emotional challenges during formative teenage years, school, church, personal study, and inner meditation trying to listen and discern what we should actually believe about matters of eternal consequence.

We would all like to think that our beliefs represent a personal leading from God to a certain conclusion... but is it really likely that only the few who see a given topic the same way as we do are right, thereby leaving billions of others wrong? Does not the audacity of such presumption trouble you just a little?

                                     CONCLUSION

While the Eternal and Infinite Creator of the Universe goes forth majestically with a grand and eternal plan, our small, finite minds will continue to try to systematize, categorize, theorize, and otherwise organize the Infinite!!

Think of it... the finite trying to grasp all the truth of the Infinite during our brief span of time on this side of Eternity!

I am not at all suggesting that we should not try... it is after all, the grandest quest on earth! We should each have firmly held beliefs based on a life of genuine search!
Having said that, I would suggest also that we should all be prepared for lots of surprises when we step from the rigorously limited constraints of TIME into the boundless realities of ETERNITY!

Likewise, perhaps we should approach our own beliefs as well as those of others with a great deal more awe, wonder, tolerance, and above all, humility as we gradually learn more of the magnificent and sublime difference... between the finite and the INFINITE!