Things too wonderful?

Too wonderful...?

I hadn't the slightest idea of what this would be about until I started writing. There's a chapter in Psalms that I've always loved. It's funny how I've always known the words of that chapter by heart for a long time but it's never really occurred to me how part of it sounds ironical, that is, before getting the understanding behind it. You probably remind yourself of it too when you need peace. So it says,

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Psalms 131:1-3NIV

 My heart is not proud, O LORD,

 my eyes are not haughty;

 I do not concern myself with great matters

or things too wonderful for me.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; 

like a weaned child with its mother,

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD--

now and always.

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Everything about this chapter was all amazing for me...up until it hit me that the psalmist says "I do not concern myself..." It all sounds strange because "wonderful" is a good thing. If it were, for instance, "I do not concern myself with evil...", it would totally make sense. Naturally I'm a very curious person so I looked up the word "wonderful", just in case my linguistic abilities were the problem. The word actually means "admirable excellence" or "extraordinarily good". This actually speaks of the character of God which we as christians are expected to demonstrate.

There's actually a Scripture that says:

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Phil.4.8NIV

Finally, brothers, 

whatever is true, 

whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, 

whatever is pure,

 whatever is lovely, 

whatever is admirable--

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--

think about such things.

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Now I'm not trying to make you think that the Bible contradicts itself. It may look like it but that is not the case. The mysteries of God are beyond all human reasoning and wisdom. The beautiful thing is that God destined these hidden mysteries for our glory before time began (1Corinthians 2:7). This pretty much means that we have access to these things through the Holy Spirit, who has been freely given to us. He it is who searches all things, even the deep things of God.

So first things first! It's important to understand the author of this psalm so as to have a clearer revelation about what exactly he's saying here. David was a man who was anointed by God to be King over God's own people from the days of his youth. If there was someone other than Jesus and Abraham that I would consider great in the Bible, it would be him. God Himself testified of him and said, 

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Acts 13:22b RSV

"I have found in David the son of Jesse

a man after my own heart, 

who will do all my will."

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What I love about the first verse is how he says "I do not concern myself...". Other versions say, "I do not occupy myself..." He understood that his life was marked by many great and wonderful things yet did not allow those very things to get in the way of his quest and love for God. 

Pride is when we allow these great things that God has promised us to deter us from being in step with the Spirit. We end up thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought because we get caught up in the lie that these things are from us. Truth is, there's nothing we have that we have not received, and, anything that comes from God, requires Him.

When David had the chance to slay King Saul, he spared his life. He understood that the fact that God anointed him to be king of Israel didn't mean that he would be justified for killing King Saul. Although he was probably the best soldier Israel had when it came to wars, he sought God before every fight he undertook, whether great or small. He lived a life of contentment and utmost peace because he didn't try to run ahead of God, but, like a child, depended entirely on Him. He sure did have some faults- big ones for that matter- but he always turned back to God. 

Well, what does this spell out in our lives? 

What David calls "Things too wonderful" is what I'd relate with the promises of God. Now the biblical context of when this psalm was written isn't really clear. But I found a beautiful part of David's prayer right after God spoke great things to Him through prophet Nathan,

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2Samuel 7:28NIV

Sovereign LORD, you are God! 

Your covenant is trustworthy,

and you have promised these good things to your servant.

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For many of us there are promises that God has made, some which seem impossible, others seem like it's already too late, while others are like way beyond our reach at the time. More often than not we end up worrying too much, not realizing that it's not in our power to make them happen. It's why I chose to describe them as "Things too wonderful". 

I am the kind of person that likes to have all the details about the simplest of things. At some point I was frustrated in my walk with God because it is His nature to hide things from us. He never really gives full details especially concerning the time certain prayers will be answered or certain promises fulfilled. Throughout scripture we see Him give very queer instructions and promises to His people. The beauty is that no matter how long it took, His word always came to be.

All God wants us to do is to give up control. We are not our own masters. He it is who watches over us. He it is who watches over the very Words He has spoken to us. The very first vision that Jeremiah saw was that of the branch of an almond tree. God had just given Jeremiah a Word that he wasn't expecting at that point in his life. Take a look at how their conversation is like, 

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Jeremiah 1:9-11AMP

Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth.

And the Lord said to me, 

'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

See, I have this day appointed you to the oversight of the nations and of the kingdoms

to root out and pull down, 

to destroy and to overthrow, 

to build and to plant.'

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?'

And I said, 'I see a branch or shoot of an almond tree [the emblem of alertness and activity, blossoming in late winter].'

Then said the Lord to me, 

'You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.'

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God was literally appointing a seventeen-year old boy to be a prophet over nations and kingdoms, to implement God's will in that land during that time. Being a prophet is a wonderful thing, no doubt about that. But to be set over nations and kingdoms at that age! I would freak out if I were Jeremiah. This is a practical example of a promise that's "too wonderful", one that seemed way above him in every way.

God was totally aware of this. So even before Jeremiah had time to ask anything, God makes it clear to him right from the word go that it was not his responsibility to fulfil His words, but that God would Himself do it. I believe this is a truth that God wants you and I to run with for as long as we are still breathing. It is He who watches over His word to perform it.There's so much peace and contentment in God when we just stick to our lane. Our way will only get us to birth "Ishmaels" at the expense of God's true son of promise. 

Why these promises are termed as "too wonderful" is because they are presently beyond our reach.We can not get them on our own, neither can we rush the process.These are things that have been hidden from us until the time is just right.  It's why it is written,

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1 Corinthians 2:9RSV

But,as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, 

nor the heart of man conceived,

what God has prepared for those who love him." 

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Instead of being so consumed with our need to see the promises fulfilled, we can choose, like David, to be still as we pray and await the fulfilment God's promises. 

The imagery used in our key scripture is just so beautiful because God is pictured as a mother. A child that's still in the process of being weaned likes to throw tantrums just because they believe it's their right to have their way and keep on breastfeeding. One that's already weaned no longer puts up fights because they get to that point where they give up control. They realize it's not up to them to make the decisions concerning their lives , but to their mother. They lie peacefully on their mothers breast, probably still sobbing but the thing is, they let go.

 The "weaning" we're talking about here has nothing to do with breast milk. It's really about being weaned from the need for control. I've heard many say that Isaac died the day Abraham obeyed the voice of God in choosing to kill him on that altar at Mount Moriah. Of course he didn't physically die, but there was a change in Abraham's heart. Much as he had previously held on to the promise so much so that his concern led to Ishmael's birth, he finally learnt to give up control. Consequently, God literally took it upon Himself to see to it that He would do all that He had promised, and much, much more. Here:

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Genesis 22:15-18 NIV

The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said,

 "I swear by myself, declares the LORD,

 that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

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In the same way we need to get to that point where we are content. We cannot afford to lose our intimate relationship with God at the expense of the promise that He gave us. If you and I were to have a Mount Moriah experience right now, what would we lay down on that altar? What would you lay down on that altar? Would it be the "son of promise", or the beauty and joy of  intimate fellowship with your Father? What is of concern to you the most? Is it the "things too wonderful", or is it your connection with God that will matter more? Is it the promise you so desperately want to see fulfilled, or is it He that gave you that promise?

I know it's a process but we'll all get there. We only need to be like children, and trust that surely He knows best. We were never designed to know everything concerning our lives, but as we fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit, He will reveal in due time what we need to know. 

David eventually saw the fulfilment of most of the promises that God made to Him, but, like I said earlier, the fulfilment of those promises at times are beyond us. There's one particular promise that lived on and has made David's memory be perpetuated through all generations,

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2 Samuel 7:12NIV

When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.

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This partly looks like it was referring to Solomon, but in reality it was referring to Jesus Christ, the greatest King of them all. He might never have seen Jesus face to face, but what remains is that God did fulfil His promise. This is probably the most wonderful thing that happened to David. It sure didn't happen by way of worry or anxiety or trying to be in control. It was by way of contentment and stillness in God's presence as he kept on seeking the heart of God. 

Finally...

 "...put your hope in the Lord...". I know we've really expounded on Hope and I've pointed out the uncertainty that comes with the thought of it. Even with the promises of God, it's no different. Abraham didn't really live to see as many descendants as God had spoken to him about, yet, in hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations. He was even willing to sacrifice the very son through whom God had promised to give him many descendants. Despite the odds, he did not throw away his confidence in God; neither should we, for in it is a great reward.

This is probably the most I've written so far, but it's my prayer that these words come alive in you.

🍁You are not your own master. God is. He watches over you. He makes everything beautiful in its time. You only need to give up control, lean on Him and let your soul find rest in Him. 🍁