Ecclesiastes 11:5

"As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all."

Deep down inside we want the LORD to be reasonable. We think, though, that our estimation of what is reasonable is that by which God must act. The above verse says otherwise. His ways are not our ways. We cannot know His works.

To illustrate our lack of understanding regarding God, two examples are given. The first has to do with the way of the wind. We certainly know the effects of wind. It can be refreshing or destructive. It can be calm, or a wild hurricane. But the whys and wherefores of how it operates are beyond us. Where does it go? From where does it come? These things are beyond our knowing. So are God’s ways beyond our knowing. We cannot tell from where He is coming, neither to where He is going. Scripture parallels wind with the operation of the third person of the trinity, the Holy Ghost. He, being God, is beyond us and our ways. We cannot know His works.

The other event that is comparable to God and His doings is the way of growth in the womb. We cannot know how those bones are formed, we can only see that they do. And for a part of the time it is happening without anyone’s knowledge. It is a great and wonderful mystery. So also are God’s works. His works are always great. His works are often done in secret. And, He, the God of the Universe, always does right, and so His works are wonderful.

His works are always great. One need only investigate the expanses of the universe, or peer into the depths of the subatomic world to see this. All breathtaking. Of course, as scripture tells us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Another of God’s great works. But the greatest work He has done is to send His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world. This is certainly not a trivial event. It is so great that all of the sin that the whole of mankind has ever or will ever commit is covered by it. Sadly, many refuse to believe this. But if this were not the extent of His great death, then it would not be great.

That which God does is often in secret. Incredibly, with His greatness, He is not flashy. Which is not to say He cannot be. For He certainly parted the Red Sea, and did numerous other similar things. But more often than not He works in secret. Once the thing comes to light we are awed by it. But until its fruition, we usually never even see it coming.

And His doings are always wonderful. For He is right and just in all He does. This is where the rub often comes. We think that an event is not so wonderful and conclude that God has lost control. As was said at the start, we want Him to be reasonable according to our estimation. But if we watch carefully, and believe Him in spite of our view of what He is doing, we will see the wonder, and be blessed in our souls for it.

His works are unknowable. They are great, often in secret, and wonderful, just as is He. What we need to do is to let go of our estimations and let Him work. He will glorify His name in the end, and we will be amazed.

HJK