Charles Spurgeon once remarked that the study of God is a subject “so vast that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep that our pride is drowned in its infinity.”
Theologians attempt to capture such immensity by speaking of God in terms of sovereignty and holiness, omniscience and immutability. But not everyone finds such images of God comforting. English biologist, Julian Huxley once said, “Operationally, God is beginning to resemble not a ruler, but the last fading smile of a cosmic Cheshire cat.” Similarly, musician Dave Matthews sings of God’s “mischievous grin,” while Tori Amos croons with resignation, “Nothing I do is good enough for you.”
I find C.S. Lewis helpful here. In a scene from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver help prepare the children to meet the great Lion Aslan for the first time. Mrs. Beaver declares that anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking is either braver than most or else just silly.
“Then he isn’t safe?” asks Lucy.
“Safe?” says Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
As Ravi Zacharias powerfully observes, God’s sovereignty is not tyrannical when it is bounded by goodness. God’s holiness is not tortuous when it is tempered by grace. God’s omniscience is not daunting when it is coupled with mercy, and God’s immutability is far from stifling when it is certain of good will.
God has given us a lifetime to explore the immensity of his love, the truth of his sovereignty, the vastness of holiness. But that you and I can approach God as Father, Christ as Son, and the Spirit as Comforter not only gives life inherent worth and meaning, it invites a relationship with the only one in whom we can say in life and in death, “It is well with my soul.”
With Love,
Mike