“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” (Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV)

           Understand means to perceive the meaning of something, to grasp a concept mentally, or to be thoroughly familiar with a topic.  It is to know something to be a fact based on information received.

           “As you do not know the path of the wind” highlights the limitations of human knowledge, control, and foresight.  This scripture uses the invisible, unpredictable nature of the wind as a metaphor for the mysteries of life and God.  You can feel the wind and see its effects, but you cannot see the wind itself.  

           Life happens, things change in a moment and sometimes it is good and sometimes it is bad.  This scripture serves as a reminder that major events, disruptions, and shifts in our lives often arrive without warning and are entirely outside of our control.

And so we ask “Why?” This simple word is used to ask for the reason or motive behind an action or event.  It is used to ask about or explain the reason, cause, or purpose of something.  Sometimes “why” can be answered.  Sometimes it cannot.  This scripture tells us, “so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

This scripture helps us to move from a desire for total control to active, obedient faith.  It is in the trusting of God.  It is our faith.  We are to prepare, we are to try, and we are to work hard, but we are to leave the ultimate outcome to God.  As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” For we do not need to know the “why” to trust in the Who. It is something to remember—we are to walk by faith, not by sight.  God Bless. Amen.

denise