Learning Again My Lack of Understanding, Awed by the Knowledge and Wisdom of God!

I have great appreciation and respect for craftsmen, for people who can work with buildings and machinery, constructing and repairing. I appreciate engineers, contractors such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, masons, mechanics, and many others. One of the reasons for my respect is my own lack of knowledge in these areas. Attending seminary to learn about shepherding God’s people does not teach a person how to frame a building, or to wire a fixture. Over the years, through much research and MANY mistakes, I have learned more, and I actually can do many handy man jobs around the house. But then, what seems like a simple job, stumps me and I realize just how much I do NOT know. I realize again my lack of knowledge!

For the last couple of months I have been fishing, and therefore neglecting home chores. So Friday and Saturday, August 29 and 30, I had a list of seven items I felt I needed to tackle. Actually, as it usually does, my list became longer. But, there was one chore on my original list that I had trouble with, and this job actually bled all the way into Tuesday!

I have three florescent light fixtures in my garage, and one was not working. I tried new bulbs, but that did not help. I needed a new light. I went to Lowe’s and they did not have anything which looked like my other two lights. I tried Brown’s Electric in Wasilla, and showed them some pictures, and they sold me a new fixture which looks just like my other two. However, the new fixture does not have a ballast, and the other two lights have one. After installing the light fixture, I again tried new bulbs. Three times (I should have learned earlier) the fixture blew out the bulbs. Harry Koenen is an electrician, and a friend. I sent Harry pictures of my fixtures, and the bulbs, and the wiring. I asked Harry if it was my fixture? The bulbs? My wiring? Harry came to our home on Sunday afternoon and looked. He said, “Your wiring is good.” But, Harry indicated he had primarily installed florescent fixtures WITH ballasts.

After listening to Harry, I looked online to find out what kind of bulbs to purchase for this new fixture. The web page said I needed “T8 LED” bulbs. Sunday evening Brown’s was closed, so I went to Lowe’s and showed them pictures from the web page. They helped me choose some new bulbs. Nevertheless, when these bulbs were installed, nothing happened. Sigh!

Finally, Tuesday morning I called Power Tech Electrical, which is close to our home. Kyle came over and looked. After thinking about it for a while he told me that neither type of the bulbs I had used were correct. Because of the wiring on the new fixture, I needed bulbs for “line and ground on one end.” I didn’t know there were such bulbs, never mind that my new light fixture needed them. Finally, I went back to Brown’s and purchased the lights, and . . . the new fixture works! Finally! Hallelujah!! What a 4 day struggle!!

I risk boring you with this long story of handyman trials, because I have again learned a lesson. There is a LOT that I do not know! And this is not just true in the home “fix it” area. How can I best be a good, faithful, Christian husband? Father? Grandfather? What does it take to be a faithful and effective pastor? Citizen? Friend? There are times I try to live well, yet sometimes the results seem to say I have failed. Unfortunately, when I fail, I can even question God.

Do you know or remember the account of Job? Job was a righteous Old Testament disciple of the Lord. Yet Job lost his livestock. His children died. And, Job became painfully ill. Ultimately, Job questioned the Lord he had faithfully worshiped. Job questioned God’s goodness and His justice. In turn, the Lord reminded Job of his lack of wisdom and knowledge when it came to the working of God. You might want to read Job 38 and 39 at home. Please consider just the first few verses from these chapters. The Lord asks Job, “4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements-- surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, 9 when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, 11 and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?” (Job 38:4-11) Our Lord is the craftsman who created this world and this life. I need to humbly praise my Lord for His knowledge and power. I confess my own lack of wisdom.

Christians might have questions, not just about the Creative activity of our Heavenly Father, but also about God’s working in the saving life of Jesus. Our Lord knows our questioning. Listen to these verses from my devotional readings on September 1. “18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. . . .22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25) Imagine, God chose to save the world by sending His only begotten Son to die on a cross, an instrument of execution and torture! That indeed is a mystery which reveals the love and wisdom of God, far beyond my wisdom, far beyond our wisdom.

I made it home on Tuesday with the new, special, light bulbs. The new fixture now works, WITH the help of a number of people more knowledgeable than I am. I know my lack of knowledge, my lack of wisdom, my own failures in other areas of life. Thankfully, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”