The Immense, Indescribable God

Have you ever wondered what is out there, beyond the edges of the observable universe? Scientists have many clever answers for this one, such as "There is no space outside of space. Space can only be described in terms of the distance between physical objects." Another response: "Nothing exists outside the universe because by definition the universe is everything." To really experience the extent of theorists' confusion within and amongst themselves, you have to read their sites, because most of their discussions are much too long-winded to include here.

For the believer, the answer is much simpler.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Isaiah 40:21-22

Our God is the Creator of all things, for all the wonders of our universe, even those photographed by the Hubble telescope 65 million light-years distant from us, were created. We don't know what is outside this physical entity we call our universe, but the important thing to realize is that there is only One Who is outside everything created, whether known or unknown, and that is the Creator Himself. He alone is worthy of our worship and praise.

"To whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing. Isaiah 40:25-26

If you haven't checked out the Hubble site, I encourage you to do so. http://hubblesite.org/ When I see photos peppered with galaxies, each filled with billions of stars, each uniquely beautiful in its own right, it truly inspires me, and in that moment I feel the awesome greatness of our Creator. Tozer states, "Just as a shepherd keeps all of his sheep and not one is lost, so God keeps all of His universe. Men point their tiny little glasses at the stars and talk learnedly, but they've just been counting God's sheep, nothing more. God is running his universe."

Recently, the Hubble telescope discovered a new phenomenon, which the scientists are calling dark energy. But you can rest assured, this was no surprise to our Creator. He knows what it is composed of, how it functions, and for what purpose He designed it. Within recent times, scientists have discovered minute universes in a drop of pond water, in the diverse cells of our bodies, and in the molecules and atoms of all matter. God alone has caused everything to work together in harmony.

Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
Who does great things, unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number. Job 9:9-10

When I produce a quilt, a painting, or a piece of writing, there are no publishers knocking down my doors. I value these things because I made them, and they are my personal self-expression. Nevertheless, infinitely more valuable to me are my children and grandchildren. They are part of me, my flesh and my blood, and I love them. God is like that. He declared that all of his creation was "good", but though his creation is truly magnificent, his children are in an entirely different category. He loves us deeply, and everything He does is a demonstration of that love.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

As big as the universe may be, God placed a soul inside each of us that is just as large. Does that sound strange? God is surely "bigger" than his creation, yet we say that he lives inside us. And when somebody doesn't know the Lord, we express that emptiness by saying that he/she has a God-shaped vacuum inside. How large and hollow must that emptiness be, if it could hold God! No wonder so many celebrities, who are overflowing with cash, possessions, lovers, an entourage, and constant attention, so frequently end up in jail, on drugs, or dead. They can't fill the gaping emptiness. They crave it, hunger for it, yearn for it, but they look in all the wrong places. The only One who can fill that void is God alone.

Even believers, myself included, get caught up in the yearning for and appreciation of earthly things. It has gotten so bad that some branches of modern Christianity are represented by ministries in crystal cathedrals, pastors in sequins and jewels, and ministers with cross-shaped swimming pools behind their multimillion-dollar homes. But as Wayne Watson sang, "That's not Jesus! " Jesus taught:

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:24

None of those things will fill the void. The most important thing to realize is that the Great Shepherd of the universe has made Himself available to us -- but He wants (and deserves) first place in our hearts.

I have a great family -- we know how to put the fun in dysfunctional! But even though our family and friends may be the best in all the world, if we don't have a relationship with HIM, our lives lacks meaning, and we are empty. A good family and loving friends might in fact be a curse, if they lead us to believe we are full, when in fact, we are spiritually starving. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Matthew 16:26

Indescribable

- Chris Tomlin, from the album Arriving

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and
You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees
as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and
You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees
as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and
You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees
as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and
You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Inconquerable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and
You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God