How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! (Rom 11:33 NIV)

Let’s consider this passage a bit longer. It’s like numerous other parts of scripture, which can not be fathomed by us in a short time – if at all. Scripture is just too deep and wide and profound to be grasped and explained by us. Obviously that does not mean that all is just dark or hazy. No, there is lots that’s to be grasped and explained, lots of light, lots of clarity, but there always remains more to be said, more to be learnt, more to be understood too. Thus even my explanations are far from being exhaustive. They touch here and there. Give a thought and motivation to more contemplation. Never giving the final  message though. Yet I am convinced that these my  meditations might prosper and promote this or that observant soul and therefore might help to strengthen faithful resolve and if it were only the insight that God’s word is very precious and most enlightening to us, who are but very insignificant and leaving a lot to desired for in wisdom and capacity. Therefore let us continue with our deliberations and think about this passage a bit more.

Here St. Paul writes about the riches of God’s wisdom and his unsearchable judgments. God’s wisdom holds all together and leads everything to his goal and final destination. In his unsearchable goodness he has revealed knowledge to us. It’s his gift to us – in varying degrees and measures. Whoever wants to recognize God, will have to follow his revealed wisdom and insight granted in the holy Scriptures of the Christian Bible in the Old and New Testaments. It shows God’s ways with Jews and pagans full of God’s justice and righteousness, divine judgments and wonderful miracles and wonders.

O God of wisdom and truthful revelation and knowledge. We admire, adore and worship your precious ways and deliberations. They are far beyond our measuring out and we can never come to their depths, heights or ends. Let us however be content in your revelation of your loving kindness and merciful grace and justice. Let us rejoice that you lead your elect from clarity to clarity until we will finally perceive what you in your gracious judgments have done for us and our salvation. We are looking forward to that time and we laud and magnify your name – even today as your delivered children and people. Amen.

The wonder’s multitude prove your capacity o Creator far beyond the limitations of nature. You have destined its laws and regulations, but you’re still Lord over all.

The wondrous greatness of your power resurrected Christ from the grave to eternal life. Thus you reveal your potent light, which enlightens our darkest night.

O almighty Lord and God, we fall before you and worship you o King of kings, Lord over life and death. Make me a witness of your creative goodness that gives life out of death. (Johann Jakob Rambach, 1693-1735)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday after the festival of Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 218 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.