I don't get it

When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labours to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it. - Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

‘When I see all the works that God does I realise that I can’t always figure it out.’

I can certainly understand that. I don’t ‘get God’ all the time. I don’t understand why some of the stuff that happens happens. It doesn’t makes sense. It doesn’t match my plans and goals and my wonderful ideas about what should be done. Solomon, much wiser than I am, says ‘even if a wise man tries to figure it out, he won’t be able to.’

Okay, lets think about it for a minute. Our grand daughter Amy just had her first birthday. She loves to play in Grammy’s kitchen. She like to get in the press and pull out kitchen tools and play with them. Let’s say that somehow a knife gets left out someplace where Amy can get and she sees it. ‘Oh, a new toy’ she thinks and reaches for it. I see her take it and I carefully take it away from her and she can’t figure out why. ‘Why would Grampy take that away from me? That would be fun! Doesn’t he love me anymore?’ She really can’t reason why.

That is something of a picture about what it is like for us to try and figure out God. When God says no or allows things into our lives that we don’t like we may not get it – but God, who does love us, does know the whole scheme of things. I can’t see the whole picture, He can. His way is not my way. His thoughts are not my thoughts. His ways and His thoughts are far above mine.

I may not get it – this is where faith is put to the test. Do I trust Him the way I expect Amy to trust me?