Hi, welcome back! I can't wait to share with you my thoughts about Chapter two. Do you have your cup of coffee or tea? Good! Let's get started. Yesterday we herd from John Piper, today it is Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Nancy begins the chapter with a few verses from Romans 11.
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and how inscrutable are His ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? "Or who has ever given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36
DeMoss does an excellent job of providing for the reader the context for these verses. But she doesn't stop there, she goes beyond that providing a way for you to visualize the meaning in such a way that gives it a richness it might lack without. In other words the way in which she helps the reader to better understand the verse gives the verse more punch or more power. Here is the last paragraph or so with her setting the scene so that we might better understand this passage:
"So in a trek not unlike our Jeep ride in the Colorado mountains, in the first eleven chapters of his epistle to the Romans, Paul scales higher and higher through the astounding mysteries of God, weaving his way through one difficult passage after another. At the end of chapter eleven he finally reaches the summit, where he can look back down over the path he has taken. He pauses to take in the awesome view beneath and around him: the sovereignty of God, His electing mercy and grace, His eternal plan for the ages."
"And as Paul pauses to contemplate it all, he is suddenly struck speechless. Words fail to explain the view...and Paul...breaks out into a hymn of praise, like crashing cymbals in the finale of a symphonic masterpiece."
"Oh, the depth...how unsearchable...how inscrutable...to Him be the glory forever."
I don't know about you, but that just gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes! These very verses, DeMoss sets up for us as the foundation for knowing what it means to be a true woman of God. In fact she believes it "provides the framework and context for our lives as women." It all starts with "Oh, the depth..." And don't we view those words now in a new light!
"Oh the depth of the riches...of God"
DeMoss says the riches of God are deeper then we could ever fathom, they are limitless, and immeasurable. Deeper then our limitations and problems. Some of His riches being His kindness, forbearance, and patience (Romans 2:4). The riches of His glory (Romans 9:23). And the riches of His grace (Romans 1:7-8).
"Oh the depth...of the wisdom and knowledge of God."
In regards to God's wisdom and knowledge De Moss says "God knows everything-and everything about everything."
Stop and ponder that for awhile. He "knows everything-and everything about everything"...So, then is there anything about your life or mine that He doesn't know? No, He knows it all! Every worry, every difficulty, everything you or I have done, everything that has been done to us, every joy, every sorrow, every fear, everything!
DeMoss beautifully wraps up her thoughts about the depths of His wisdom and knowledge with this: "And regardless of how complex, convoluted, or impossible your situation may seem or actually be right now, the wisdom of God is much more than adequate to walk you through it."
I could stop right there and just rest in that for today. How about you? But then you would miss out on the rest of the chapter. So let's continue our discussion...
After DeMoss has solidified in our minds the depth of the riches of God, His wisdom, and knowledge she goes on to talk about how He is beyond knowing...not that we can't know Him, but that we will never really know Him until we see Him face to face since right now our understanding is limited by our finite minds.
"How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways."
DeMoss gives the definitions of the words unsearchable and inscrutable so that you have a greater understanding and appreciation of what those words mean. She spends time breaking this apart for the reader. If you want to know more you will have to read it for yourself. There is so much that she has written I'd love to share with you if I could. There is one paragraph from this section that I must share with you in regards to your circumstances in life: "But you can be assured that God doesn't make mistakes. He has an eternal purpose in mind-a plan for the display of His glory throughout all the universe. He is working out that plan, and you are a part of it. You don't have to know what He is doing. Or why. The fact is, He knows. And that's all that really matters. And if you trust Him, in time, you will thank Him for the treasures that have resulted from those trials. "
Again I could stop right there. Aren't those words filled with hope and comfort! But we have not made it yet to the end of the chapter and the summation of her thoughts. And because time is getting away from me I cannot share with you all of her thoughts on "all things" being from God, and "through Him", and "to Him
DeMoss explains that it is within the context of knowing all this about God that as women we will "find refuge",it "will bring us comfort", "courage", and "conviction in our calling as women."
From what I have shared what do you think? Have you found courage, comfort, and/or hope in these words? I may not have done them the justice they deserve. You may want to get a copy of this book and read it for yourself. If you do be sure to let me know your thoughts about it.
Nancy finishes this chapter with three simple applications for every Christian woman. Here they are without the descriptions:
1) "A true woman lives a God-centered life."
2) "A true woman trusts God."
3) "A true woman says yes, Lord."
Are you able to say yes, Lord! The only way to true joy is to utter those words and mean them!
Tomorrow we will take a look at chapter three by Mary Kassian. See ya tomorrow!
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