DAY 230

THE OTHERNESS OF GOD

Psalm 97, 98 & 99 and Romans 16

A comment or two about Romans 16 before I share my main thought of the day. First I love that Paul literally says, “they risked their necks for my life” in verse 4. I am also struck by how relational Paul is. Here is this amazing theologian. We have just read some dizzying thoughts, and in the end he rattles off a long list of fellow brothers and sisters…that should give us a bit of different perspective on him.

My main thought for the day is prompted by the Psalms. The Psalms today push me to think about how beyond everything God is. “Clouds and thick darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne…His lightning’s light up the world…Psalm 97.

What is it that gets you thinking about the amazing world we live in? Is it those Hubble Telescope photographs? Is it the birth of a child? Is it that you have experienced love, or had your breath taken away by a sunset? God is the creator of all those things and more. For me, it is when I look at pictures of deep space and then I think about the world of atoms, I am struck by the range of our world…and yet God is greater. God stands outside it…God is other.   

There is a cool website that as you slide your cursor to the right or left you either zoom in or zoom out on the universe, here is the link: http://scaleofuniverse.com/

I have to remind myself that God is even greater and beyond all of this world and the story of Jesus of Nazareth is that He is God come to earth. He is the God who has done this amazing thing out of sheer love for us. This God who is the creator of all, the genius behind what we care barely figure out, makes is simple…He makes it about a relationship. This otherness of God can be and is known in Jesus Christ which might just be why Romans ends with: 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith-- 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.