“Inexpressible”


BIBLE READING:2 Corinthians 7-11

                How do you describe something that is indescribable?  How do you express a feeling that is inexpressible?  How can you explain something that you can’t even put into words?  That is the task that Paul has been given when He is attempting to explain to the Corinthians the magnitude of the gift we have in Christ Jesus.  I would suggest that we would struggle with that task as well.  We could use words like unconditional love, comfort, and peace to describe Jesus, but those are some of the same words I might use to describe my dog Winston.  The gift that God has given to us in Jesus is so wonderful that there aren’t enough words in our vocabulary that come even close to giving an accurate description of Him.  It reminds me of the second commandment that God gave to the children of Israel in Exodus 20, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Exodus 20:4) Even back then God was trying to teach us just how indescribable this gift is to us.  Any image that one might make that is used to describe God would only give off a limited description of Him.  If there are no words to describe Him, then there are certainly no images.  However, for those of us who are faithful we will one day be able to “see Him as He really is” (I John 3.2).  It is then we will be able to more accurately describe Him, because the language in heaven will not be limited as it is here on earth.  May we all echo the same words of thanksgiving as Paul does here in 2 Corinthians 9.15, “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift”.

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