How old is God? When did the Lord begin? The mind-boggling answer is that God has no age, no beginning—there’s never been a time when He wasn’t. In fact, the Lord transcends the entire concept of time, whereas we are limited to living within its confines. As a result, we can’t grasp the vastness of His existence and power. Yet this incomprehensibility is actually a great gift: We can confidently rely on One who is “abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).
Illustration by Stephanie Wunderlich
BACKGROUND
Many passages in Scripture reflect on the rise and fall of leaders and kingdoms, the fleeting years of our life, and even the ebb and flow of time. We’re accustomed to things changing, yet our God never varies, ages, or even tires.
READ
Psalm 90:1-6; Psalm 90:12-14
REFLECT
The psalmist uses metaphors to help us understand God and ourselves.
Isaiah 40:6-7 and Isaiah 40:21-31 are other passages that point to what we can’t quite grasp: We are like grass or flowers of the field that spring up and then fade and fall. By contrast, God existed long before even the mountains were “born” (Ps. 90:1). What do images like mountains, dust, and flowers tell us about God and ourselves? Is there something in the natural world that helps you visualize God’s absolute unlimitedness?
Psalm 90:4 says that a thousand years to God are like one day to us. As hard as that is to grasp, recalling examples from childhood might shed some light. Think back to how vast vacation seemed on the last day of school. Or how long the wait for Christmas felt. What other illustrations come to mind? How does your youthful view of anticipation compare to your current perception? Now, for a hint of God’s perspective, imagine multiplying the difference exponentially.
A VIEW FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
The apostle Paul, upon acknowledging God as “eternal, immortal, invisible” (1 Tim. 1:17), speaks words of praise and worship, proclaiming that to the King should be “honor and glory forever and ever.”
Paul’s humble response to God’s infiniteness is worship. Have you ever experienced a sense of God’s absolute magnitude in your own life? If so, describe how you responded.
It can be difficult for us to grapple with the fact that we actually control so little in our life. How do you typically react to the reality of your own limitedness?
Responding with worship to an eternal God in the face of our own finitude can foster peace and joy. How have you seen this in your own life and worship? In what ways does worship help you connect with God?
REFLECT
Psalm 90 opens by describing the Lord as a dwelling place for all generations. Then, in verse 14 (NIV), the psalmist asks God to satisfy us with His unfailing love, that we may sing and be glad all our days.
God offers to be our “dwelling place”—in other words, our home. In what ways have you built your life in the Lord? How does the idea of God-as-home comfort you?
Think about ways that God’s unfailing love sustains and satisfies you. Can you recall times this has been true even during periods of suffering?
In verse 12, the psalmist requests that God “teach us to number our days,” so we might present to Him a heart of wisdom. What does numbering your days look like to you?
Considering our limitations in light of God’s vastness is a worthwhile challenge—and one that involves a considerable blessing: We get to seek our eternal God’s presence through wisdom and worship and can meditate on His abundant provision of life and love.
