The Big Picture

I was pondering this question about two weeks ago. Where do systematic theology and carefully articulated and well thought out doctrine meet the overarching metanarrative of the Bible? We could compare this to a valley surrounded by steep mountains. Down in the valley, which is where we are, we see the intricacies of basic doctrine and thought. from this vantage point it seems that we have free will. A few other things come into play down here as well such as the authority of the believer and the power of words. However, when we look at the mountains we see something that is greater than we are. When we pull away form the whole thing to see the larger picture we see the mercy of God because we see how infinitely small we are compared with the vastness of God's creation and our small role in it. Pulling even further out we can see God's sovereignty reigning over everything. We see His meticulous handiwork in every area of our lives. Thinking over all of this I am reminded of the words of Abraham Kuyper who said, "No single piece of our mental world is to be sealed off from the rest and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!" The syncretism of our free will and the sovereignty of God is just one of the mysteries that we come to embrace in this life. I pray that we would never tire of searching out the mysteries and the depths of God. Having said this, where are you in God's story? Where are you in the course of redemptive history? If you can find yourself there, you will stand in awe of the mercies of God. How great is this God that we serve. His ways are past finding out!