Experiencing What We Can’t Understand

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:19 NLT

My friend Tomme Scheffel was sharing at our men’s group on Monday night. As this young man shared a pivotal point in his Christian life, he commented on being able to sense God’s love in a tangible way that he could not understand or explain. At the end of the meeting my friend Rod Carlson, of Living Logos Ministries, who was visiting our group quoted this scripture above in response to what Tomme had shared.

It is interesting that Paul prays that Timothy and all believers would, by God’s power (because it is not through our ability) to “…have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” (Ephesians 3:18 NLT) God allows us to understand that God’s love is greater than we can imagine, it is higher than we can believe, it is more vast than what the human mind can conceive. 

But the simple reality is that we can experience what we can’t understand. So much of our orientation is accepting through understanding. We can focus on “figuring it out” coming to some great revelation, insight or “break through” that makes the difference. But when it comes to God’s love we can’t understand it. We can’t even make sense of it. It is vast, it is great, it is baffling to our human minds.

That is because God’s love is not a matter of cognition and rationale. It doesn’t make sense, because it is God’s love. It is that which is divine, which is greater, higher, beyond ourselves.

But we can experience it! At times we simply stand in awe, at times we may experience that overwhelming peace and comfort that God’s love provides. At times we simply have to accept it, because it can not be earned.

God’s love is eternal. It is that which transcends this world, this life and will define the atmosphere that makes heaven the reality that it is. God’s love is not to be analyzed and quantified. It is simply to be accepted and experienced. It is the gateway to the “fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Prayer for today… Lord, how marvelous and wonderful is Your love. Allow us with open hearts to accept what we can’t explain or understand. Thank You for Your love for us.