Scripture
Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number. “Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. Job 9:10-11

Observation
Could a multi-story building crane slip through a street unnoticed? Surely the builder of skyscrapers could not blend into traffic. Great machines construct great buildings. They are as magnificent as the structures they build. They stand out.

So where is the maker of stars and planets to be found? I read yesterday that over 400 planets have now been discovered beyond our solar system. One of these behemoths is six times the size of Jupiter and Jupiter itself is 300 times the size of Earth. VY Canis Majoris may sound like a chemical additive for making shampoo, but it is in fact a star 2,600 times larger than our own sun. It is a mere 4,900 light years away from our planet. The creator of suns and planets is greater than mega Jupiters or gargantuan stars.

Then where is God to be seen? As great as his creation is, God can still slip unnoticed in human life. I heard a sad interview with Richard Dawkins the scientist who preaches atheism. When asked what he would say if he were to meet God after death, he replied, “I would say, ‘Why did you make yourself so difficult to find?’” Job struggled with the invisible God. In his pain, his vision was blurred. God seemed absent.

Application
We should not take the invisibility of God for his absence. He is present, though he is not seen. Some artists are so egoistical that they draw more attention to themselves than to their artwork. God is not like this. Jesus said that he is humble of heart. He camouflages himself in humility so that only the humble can find him. I think it gives the maker of gigantic suns and immense planets some degree of satisfaction that only those who think like children can find him. God makes himself difficult to find to help us to become humble like him.

So how can I see the invisible God? The secret is to relax in what we do not know and to focus on what we can see. Honestly, giant stars and planets don’t help me much with discovering God as much as when I reflect on the last four decades of my life. The jpegs of my mind scroll through the faces and places choreographed like some intricate dance. There are so many coincidences, divine appointments, unexpected breaks, and open doors. I could never have planned such a life. As I relax into what I do not know about God, and instead focus on thankfulness for the life I can see, I come to discover that the grand artist is hiding in the crowd. He is with me though he cannot be seen.

Prayer
Father, there is so much of you and yet so little of you enjoyed by us. We humans waste little time meditating on your works. It’s time to reflect. It is time to thank. It is time to see you in your hiddenness. How I delight in your ways when I become at ease with what I don’t understand. That is the definition of faith. Amen.