I’ve always thought of myself as a Big-Picture guy. I’m the guy that looks at something from a high-level view and depends on someone else to handle the details. That’s never been a problem in my profession because technology was my enabler. If there were steps forgotten, technology would always bail me out by identifying a problem. My philosophy was computers think faster than me, so let technology crunch the numbers. I can walk up to a fabulous painting and all I see is a painting. Often, I fail to see the tapestry of colors on the canvas, the subtle nuances of expressions and shapes, or even acknowledge the emotions a painting evokes.
You could say, I wasn’t into the details.
Unlike me, God is very much into the details. While the effort it would take for me to count the hairs on even the skimpiest head would be monumental, God simply knows. The fact is that God knows everything and it takes no recognizable effort on His part to simply know. I cannot fathom simply knowing all; it is beyond my reasoning and understanding. In spite of that, I’m so very thankful that God knows all because it means He knows the details in such a way that nothing pertaining to my life (or yours) comes as a surprise to God. I cannot count the number of times I’ve been caught off guard due to ignorance, absence of information, or just my plain old forgetfulness.
“All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”2
God has me looking at my life, stressing the need for me to get into the details. When God says, “All the words of my mouth…” glossing over what God imparts is missing quite a bit of wisdom that would help me spiritually, emotionally and physically. I tell myself that, God wants all of me, but I forget that part of my heart reserved for me, I forget the details of my stubborn willfulness, and I neglect certain behaviors by ascribing them as just being me.
I say I want to grow spiritually. To achieve spiritual growth, I need to get into the details of my life with God. I can hear Paul McCartney singing:
| Someone’s knocking at the door Somebody’s ringing the bell Someone’s knocking at the door Somebody’s ringing the bell Do me a favor Open the door and let em in |
Time for me to get into the details:
| God is knocking at my door God is ringing my bell God is knocking at my door God is ringing my bell Do me a favor Open the door and let Him in |
| Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte and Ginger). |  |
- Matthew 10:30, NASB
- Proverbs 8:8-11, NASB
- The Ryrie Study Bible (New American Standard Version), Edited by Charles C. Ryrie, Moody Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, ISBN 0-8024-8920-6
- The NIV Study Bible, Edited by Kenneth Barker, Donald Burdick, John Stek, Walter Wessel and Ronald Youngblood, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530, USA
