| “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” |
| —Romans 11:33 |
Do you remember how you felt the first time you saw a fireworks display? You heard the whoosh, as the shell left the mortar. You heard the high whistling sound, as the shell climbed into the sky. Suddenly, with a loud bang, a burst of color streamed in all directions across the sky. The people in the crowd, including you, voiced sounds of wonder and amazement.
Each successive shell was sent aloft with anticipation building in the crowd. What colors would this one produce? Would there be a loud bang, or a softer whistle? Would there be just one explosion? Or, would two, three, or even more explosions release one after the other?
Maybe you felt a surge of wonder and praise the first time you saw your new born child or grandchild. Those precious tiny features, the soft cooing sounds, the little bubbles around the corner of the lips, the blink of an eye—your heart beat a little faster. You found that you had been holding your breath, as you watched this beautiful gift from God. You fairly burst with joy.
One of the amazing things about the Apostle Paul is his moments of ecstasy recorded in his letters, when he begins to think about the greatness of God. Sometimes, right in the middle of a very serious passage of admonition, Paul will suddenly burst into an soliloquy of praise to God. Such is the case in Romans 11:33:
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
These ecstatic passages of Paul’s often begin with the exclamatory word “Oh!” It’s as if in that moment the Holy Spirit just overwhelms Paul, as the Apostle thinks about the God who loves him with an everlasting love.
As we begin a new day, let’s not be afraid to express all the emotion we feel when we consider how marvelous it is to be loved by such a God. Let’s not hold back our words of praise. Let’s not fail to acknowledge the joy He brings us. Let’s willingly give testimony to the greatness of His mighty power at work in and through us.
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2018
