God Moves in a Mysterious Way
Troops massing on the border of Ukraine. Bitter political strife, mudslinging, and infighting. Runaway inflation with costs rising at the gas pump and in the grocery aisle. Some overworked and pressed to the limit; others unemployed and struggling to get by. Immorality everywhere we turn. A seemingly never-ending pandemic, with nearly everyone touched in some way by loss. Faces hidden behind masks, separated from each other. Children and adults alike in the grip of social anxiety, loneliness, and depression. It is hard to see how God is moving in this moment. But He is moving. In His own, hidden mysterious way.
How often have we heard the adage: “God moves in mysterious ways”? Many attribute it to Scripture, but that is not its source. The phrase was coined in 1773 by William Cowper, a British poet and friend of John Newton (who gave us several of our best loved hymns, including Amazing Grace). Though a Christian, Cowper struggled throughout his life with depression, even despairing of life and attempting suicide several times. Seeking to bring a bit of light to Cowper’s existence, John Newton asked him to contribute to a hymnbook he was writing. Among his contributions was a poem entitled, Light Shining Out of Darkness. The first line of this poem read: “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform…” This poem was adapted into the hymn that we still sing today (God Moves in a Mysterious Way, LSB 765). Consider the wisdom in these words:
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flow’r.
You fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and will break in blessings on your head.
Cowper’s faith in God was the light shining into and out of His own moments of darkness. And so it is with us. In uncertain days and fear-filled times, we place our faith in the God and His promises…the God who moves in a mysterious way, the Light shining out of the darkness.
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, NLT)
(Click here to see Aaron's full February 2022 newsletter.)
