{"id":322,"date":"2019-03-09T14:39:40","date_gmt":"2019-03-09T22:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/?p=322"},"modified":"2025-09-01T08:55:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T15:55:14","slug":"god-is-beyond-comprehension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/god-is-beyond-comprehension\/","title":{"rendered":"God is Beyond Comprehension"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

We often think of God in human terms. Since God has no equal, we fall back on describing God in relation to ourselves, which serves neither Him nor us. Yet, the eternal, invisible God is not human in any sense. He is beyond time and matter, and unconstrained by the events on this tiny speck of a planet. All things are as nothing when compared to His sublime greatness. His unbounded vastness exceeds the scope of His created universe.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,\u201d declares the LORD. \u201cAs the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways.\u201d (Isaiah 55:8-9). God is not a human construct, not a product of our imaginations. Instead, we are a product of His imagination. He is beyond us, ineffable, too enormous to be grasped, and yet it is the quest of many to attempt to grasp God nonetheless. When we die, I expect we all will be surprised to discover how much we believed about God was incorrect. It is impossible to understand God fully or to confirm what we think we know about Him. By faith, we believe in God and, by faith, we rely on God to direct us toward His unfolding truth.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Love is Not Cuddly<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In this article, I wish to elevate God above those human attributes we give Him. We do God a disservice when we assign traits, such as love, and then ascribe human characteristics and imperfections to those traits. For example, people view God as a loving father\u2014the Bible teaches us to do so\u2014and then conclude that God could never cause pain because no loving human father would do that. But God is not human.<\/p>\n

From God\u2019s eternal perspective, pain is a momentary condition and is unlabeled, neither good nor bad. Pain is a triggered response to circumstance. Growth or discipline can be painful, and God is not averse to sending those circumstances when we need it and because He loves us. God\u2019s love is the greatest force in the universe, but that force can sometimes leave ripples of pain in its wake. Just look as the immense suffering Christ had to endure in order to fulfill the highest expression of God\u2019s intense love for humankind. The existence of pain does not negate God\u2019s love. Suffering can coexist with love.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s love is not protective like the human variety of love. It is more concerned with deeper, spiritual goals like character development and transformation of the soul into something that more clearly reflects God\u2019s image. Scripture is full of examples of those loved by God who were not spared suffering, even martyrdom. God allowed his beloved people, the Israelites, to be oppressed as slaves by the Egyptians for generations. He expressed his deep concern regarding their misery and suffering in Exodus 3:7-8. From a human perspective, it makes no sense that God would allow that calamity to continue for so long. Why didn\u2019t He rescue them sooner? Yet God\u2019s higher purposes were at work and required delay until He had prepared His chosen prophet, Moses, to lead them out of slavery with an amazing demonstration of power.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Priorities<\/strong><\/h4>\n

We have to be careful not to judge God by human standards or to think that a loving God would never punish or destroy. In my book, Four in the Garden<\/em>, Creator says, \u201cI create. I destroy. In all I do, I love. My purposes encompass joy and pain, life and death, growth and decay. You can\u2019t comprehend all My ways. I only ask that you trust.\u201d It takes faith to believe that God is always acting according to His best intentions, especially when we can\u2019t understand outcomes.<\/p>\n

Unlike humans, God doesn\u2019t give priority to preservation. From God\u2019s eternal perspective, nothing endures forever except Himself, so He doesn\u2019t strive to make anything last. Even heaven and earth will pass away (Matthew 24:35, 2 Peter 3:10). Psalm 103:15-16 says, \u201cThe life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.\u201d Nothing lasts. Everything comes to an end, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. We can be grateful, however, when something does last and we are able to enjoy it. Besides God, one thing that endures is our souls, and God promises to preserve our souls (Psalm 121:7).<\/p>\n

God\u2019s justice is unlike human justice. His punishment is not swift, but can be deferred, even after a person has died. We humans prefer swift judgment and immediate punishment. 2 Peter 3:9 says, \u201cThe Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.\u201d God delays so that people have a chance to change and turn to Him. This doesn\u2019t mean that God won\u2019t execute justice. Deuteronomy 32:4 says, \u201cHis work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.\u201d<\/p>\n

God tracks time differently than we do. \u201cWith the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.\u201d (2 Peter 3:8). From that point of view, the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt wasn\u2019t long when considered in light of eternity. Our lifetime is but a quick blip on God\u2019s radar, so it\u2019s amazing to me how much \u201ctime\u201d and attention He give us. God created time and lives outside of time, so His touch on your life is timeless and eternal. We have to be careful with timetables when it comes to God. His \u201csoon\u201d is not our \u201csoon.\u201d Two thousand years ago, Jesus said He is coming soon.<\/p>\n

Bigger Than We Can Imagine<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In Isaiah 6, the prophet describes his dramatic vision of God. \u201cIn the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.\u201d The concept of a king seated on a throne is a human invention. God appeared to Isaiah in a form he could understand in order to illustrate His ultimate sovereignty. Yet God is so much greater than a king on a throne, but that illustration is the best we have to describe His supremacy and power. He is far beyond what we can imagine and without equal (See Isaiah 46).<\/p>\n

In the forward to my book, Four in the Garden<\/em>, I describe God as \u201ctranscending our understanding, the inscrutable God who defies our man-made definitions and imaginations. We do not capture and subdue God for purposes of study or control. Rather, we gaze and marvel so we might be changed. From that place of awe, we approach God and find the meaning and connection we long for.\u201d The main goal for us on this Earth is not to understand God as much as to be transformed by His love. As for understanding God, we will understand more when we see Him face to face. \u201cFor now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.\u201d(1 Corinthians 13:12). Until that day, let us remain in awe that we have such a wondrous God that created this amazing universe. And let us be ever thankful that such an awesome God loves you and me.<\/p>\n

Questions for Reflection<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. God is always bigger than the mental container in which we try to hold Him. How can you expand yourself to allow God to be bigger in your life?<\/li>\n
  2. If God can\u2019t be fully known because He is beyond our comprehension, then what value can be found in seeking to understand Him?<\/li>\n
  3. What is your response to the knowledge that God is vastly superior to you? Does it help or hinder your relationship to Him?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    ###<\/p>\n

    Rick Hocker is a game programmer, artist, and author. In 2004, he sustained a back injury that left him bed-ridden in excruciating pain for six months, followed by a long recovery. He faced the challenges of disability, loss of income, and mounting debt. After emerging from this dark time, he discovered that profound growth had occurred. Three years later, he had a dream that inspired him to write his award-winning book, Four in the Garden<\/em>. His goal was to help people have a close relationship with God and to share the insights he gained from the personal transformation that resulted from his back injury. He lives in Martinez, California.<\/p>\n

    For more articles, visit http:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/articles.html<\/a>
    Website:     http:\/\/www.rickhocker.com<\/a>
    <\/u>Email:     mail@rickhocker.com<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    We often think of God in human terms. Since God has no equal, we fall back on describing God in relation to ourselves, which serves neither Him nor us. Yet, the eternal, invisible God is not human in any sense. He is beyond time and matter, and unconstrained by the events on this tiny speck […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[86],"tags":[91,92,89,23,88,87,90],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Hhvw-5c","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":318,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/when-god-disappoints-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":0},"title":"When God Disappoints Us","date":"January 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever trusted God and been disappointed? You placed your trust in God and He let you down. After many such disappointments, we can lose hope. When we lose hope, we are tempted to despair or walk away from God. If we manage our expectations at the start, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Trust"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":242,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/a-beautiful-ache\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":1},"title":"A Beautiful Ache","date":"October 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In continuing my theme on God's love, I asked myself, \"What situation most profoundly impacted me with a deeper understanding of God's love?\" The event that comes to mind was an unusual and memorable experience. It happened during a private time of silent reflection. In my mind's eye, I saw\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Love"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":302,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/the-simplicity-of-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":2},"title":"The Simplicity of Death","date":"August 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"To understand death, we can observe nature as in the lifespan of insects or the hierarchy of the food chain. Death is an integral part of the cycle of life. Death is necessary, inevitable, and unavoidable. I doubt that insects or animals contemplate their mortality as humans do. Yet, what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spirituality"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":250,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/trust-versus-fear\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":3},"title":"Trust Versus Fear","date":"December 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The opposite of trust is fear, and fear causes us to make wrong choices. Trusting in God frees us from desperate actions because we believe God will take care of us. When we don't trust in God, we are left to rely on ourselves. But when we doubt our ability\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spirituality"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":253,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/good-enough-for-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":4},"title":"Good Enough for God","date":"January 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you good enough for God? How good must one be to please God? How do you know if God is pleased with you? Does going to church earn us points with God? By the way, going to church isn't one of the Ten Commandments. We are commanded to keep\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Righteousness"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":239,"url":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/hiding-from-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":322,"position":5},"title":"Hiding From Love","date":"August 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"We've all heard the statement that God is Love. If that's true, then why don't we throw ourselves at Him like an adoring fan tries to get close to a favorite celebrity? In spite of all the glories ascribed to love, if we look deep inside, we're afraid of it.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Love"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":417,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions\/417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rickhocker.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}