April 3, 2020
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (Psalm 103:14-16)
From the first day of Kindergarten, math was my absolute favorite academic subject. It not only fascinated me, but it always seemed to make perfect sense. When the teacher taught us that you can’t subtract a greater number from a smaller number, I believed her. After all, if I have three chickens, and my neighbor needs four chickens for a dinner party, I can’t fulfill that order. All I can do is sell him my three chickens. Sound reasoning. That was, until my older cousin informed me that it was all a lie. He told me that you CAN subtract a greater number from a smaller number—since there is something called “negative numbers.” Negative numbers? I almost totally gave up on math the day of that revelation. Thankfully, when I advanced just a few more grade levels, I learned the logic behind this strange concept. Math became enjoyable again--even when it didn’t seem to make as much sense as it did in my limited Kindergarten experience.
If you have either forgotten negative numbers or simply choose not to acknowledge their existence, you know the related concept of infinity. Symbolized by that cool figure eight lying squished on its side, infinity has no limits--it has no end. So, in geometry, we learned that a line has infinite length—it goes in both directions, without end. Then, when fractions were taught, we learned that one-third is a finite number; but written as a decimal, we get 0.33333…with threes that repeat infinitely. Finally, there’s the mind-blowing concept that infinity is not a real number and cannot be measured—it is a limitless idea. Yet, as complicated as infinity may feel, it’s actually quite simple. Why? Because when something has an end, we have to define what that end, or limit is. But, on the other hand, when there are no limits, there are literally NO LIMITS!
Mathematics is incredible because it reflects the order and magnitude of our Creator. The God of the universe is infinite—like the straight line, He has no beginning and no end. As Genesis 1:1 puts it succinctly: “In the beginning, God….” When our world began, God already existed. That theological fact alone gives Him the full power and ability to bring everything else into being by the Word of His own power, out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3). Since God is infinite, He alone created all that is finite. Foundational to our understanding of ourselves as human beings is the recognition that God has always existed and will always exist. There will never be a time where God is not.
When we consider the characteristic of infinity, we must return to the term “unlimited.” When something finite is described as unlimited, it only appears to have no end. The puppy that seems to have unlimited energy. The ocean that appears unlimited from your position on the beach. This novel coronavirus that seems unlimited in its impact on humanity. But of course, even the most gregarious of puppies, the largest ocean on earth, and the most virulent of diseases have ends, or limits. The triune God does not! Everything about God is unlimited—His love for His people, His knowledge and wisdom, and His presence in the universe. Best of all, His holiness is unlimited, which means He cannot sin or do anything against His holy nature. In a sense, God only has self-imposed limits against sin and evil because He is without limits. An unlimited God is confined by nothing external, and no one else in existence.
So, when we arrive at the truth that God alone is unlimited, it brings our own limits into sharp focus. As the Psalmist writes, “for he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” Our days are like grass—we flourish for a little while, then we are gone. In these days of a raging pandemic, always remember your limitations. Even with all the social distancing in the world and personal cleanliness habits, you are not unlimited in your power to stave off sickness. All humans, all scientists, all medical professionals, and all world governments are limited in knowledge, wisdom, and skill. Thankfully, even a seemingly all-powerful virus has its limits. But, praise be to God, our Father is the unlimited One of the universe! Only when we rest in that truth can we “live limited” before an unlimited God!