God is Beyond Our Description

In 1986, Mark Altrogge wrote a very beautiful song picturing the depth of God's wisdom and love. Here is the lyric: You are beautiful beyond description, too marvellous for words, too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? Who can fathom the depth of Your love? You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty, enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of You; I stand, I stand in awe of You. Holy God, to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You. I first heard and sang this song in December 1993 during the funerary mourning service of an influential evangelist and close friend of mine, Jerimia Rim. The wisdom and the love of God are truly beyond my description. Why God decided to end a life of a very fruitful evangelist in his most productive years (he was only 41 when he was died)? We do not have the answer. We cannot ask 'why' to God. To reconstruct the mind of God will result in futility. I believe that this strangeness was experienced by his family, close friends and those who love him. Altrogge's beautiful song carries two significant messages. First, the author knows that God is great, and he therefore desires to picture God's greatness. Unfortunately, as indicated by the lyric, the author fails: God is beyond description. His wisdom is too high to be grasped; His love is too deep to be comprehended. So, instead of successfully picturing God, the author of this song has to admit that he fails. His failure however is the very point where we can see and experience the beauty of God. We often if not always fail to comprehend God. 'Readers, please be careful if you feel that you understand God!' Once we claim that we understand God, we may fall into a manipulative process of formulating idea about God. Our conception of God is often driven by our self-centred desires. To be honest, we often create an unbiblical image of God. Instead of making God like an laboratory object of research, the song invites us to let God alone in His infinite beauty. Second, regardless of our 'permanent' disability to comprehend the wisdom and love of God, the author rightly encourages us to keep 'standing in awe of God.' Praising God is wthout question our 'unpaid' duty even if God does not fit with our expectation. While the song indicates the failure of the author to comprehend God - to be fair - the song also shows that the author is successful in keeping his commitment to worship God. This is in fact the true worship: a thanksgiving and praise to God even in the midst of difficult situation, when God seems to be far away from our desire. This reflection is written in remembrance of our brother, Jerimia Rim. Thirteen years ago (few months before he died), he led me a personal tour in the brand new church building in Putat Gede, and shared me his vision for the city of Surabaya. For Meliani, JR, and all people who love and respect him, may this song brings comfort and renewal in our commitment to serve God that is not always easily comprehended.