Reaching the Summit

“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” Romans 11:33

Paul’s letter to the Romans is like a climb up a great mountain. Paul starts out in chapter one at the foot of the mountain by dealing with the issue of sin. In chapter three, he climbs a bit further as he writes about God’s faithfulness. Up he goes, expounding on the fact that Christ took the punishment for our sins and in chapter six on how sin’s power is broken so we can live life in the Spirit. Finally, Paul writes about God’s mercy, His love and His salvation in chapters eight through ten. By the time he gets to chapter eleven, he has almost reached the summit. 

As he looks back over the first ten chapters and considers all that God has done for us and all that He is to us, he begins to see how small we are in comparison to God. Paul erupts in praise. “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” he exclaims.

Upward Paul climbs as he poses the rhetorical questions, “For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?” (verses 34-35)

As Paul reaches the summit and plants his flag, he culminates the climb with these words, “For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.”

Amen, Paul. There is nothing more to say. I think I’ll join you and set up camp right here for a while.