Uniquely Unique. . .
On the first reading the title of this article is a silly phrase, appearing redundant. . .We can think of other similar phrases: wet water, hot fire, dark darkness, sweet sugar. Any adjective added to unique emphasizing uncommonness, is repetitive and superfluous. Very unique. . . extremely unique. . .possibly found in the conversation of those who do not love precision of language. Unique means to be alone in its characteristics. If alone, then to be very alone or extremely alone, adds little meaning and the addition of adjectives to ‘unique’ dilutes and distracts from the true meaning of what it is to be unique.
But uniqueness is a function of vision. The closer the inspection, the sharper the vision, items appearing to be the same, are resolved to become in fact unique. Precision ball bearing, are manufactured to astoundingly close tolerances. The ultimate goal is for them to be strictly identical. Smoothness of operation, rotational concentricity, and long life of the mechanism all depend upon the balls in the race being twins of one another. Each bearing the load placed upon the race equally, but even with as much utmost care taken as is possible, micron and submicron differences can be discerned in diameter, weights differ when measured accurately to many decimal places, mirrored surface finishes can be compared and ranked, surface hardness. . . internal grain structure. . . feature after feature. Items meant to be the same, taken as the same, considered the same with close enough vision are found to be in fact uniquely different.
Other items of the same in concept or function. . . imagine viewing a million thumbs aside one another. Short, wide, fat, thin, wrinkled, smooth, black, brown, white, yellow, red. . . long nails, closely cropped nails, dirty nails, painted, bitten, manicured, chipped. . . healthy, unhealthy. . . newborn, and ancient, for all their differences, are still recognizable as thumbs. They are the same, and yet all different. Their difference can be quantified by peering again more closely at them. The study of the prints of thumbs, divides them into classes: plain arch, tented arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, plain whorl, central pocket whorl, double loop whorl, and central pocket whorls. Micro universes of staggering complexity, and structure, uniqueness visible only under magnification.
Every thumb is the same appearing, taking the same position on the hand, having the same function to the person, and aside from its differences is recognizable as a thumb, but different. . . unique on many levels, and quantifiably unique, and greatly studied in the pattern of the skin, . . .its print.
Uniqueness is ubiquitous. . . Uniqueness is everywhere. Every tree, every rock, every sunrise, every star in the sky. . . every baby. . . every smile. . . every breath and heartbeat. . . every tear is different, and if looked at closely enough exists alone from the beginning of time as an individual. My grandfather loved sailing upon Lake Michigan. He often remarked, that the color of the Lake was never the same from one day to the next. Wind, sun, clouds, the clarity of the water itself, ever changing. . . endlessly changing.
Simply being unique does not create value. The cars in the junkyard differ in more ways than those same cars did when sitting on the showroom floor. They are given no value because their class is so large. It is not at all difficult to find junkyard cars, but to find a showroom new Cadillac 50 years after its manufacture increases its value greatly, for the class of such cars is tiny. Simply being an individual unlike any other, does not automatically give value, but being in a small and desired class greatly increases worth.
Therefore we see that uniqueness is ubiquitous. . . but there is One who is uniquely unique. There is one who resides alone in His class. Who has none of His type with which to even compare. No micro-measurement is necessary to discern difference between He and others. There are no others even remotely similar to Him. Indeed no micro-measurement is possible. The scope of view required to wholly take in this uniquely unique Entity, would require a scope of the entire universe.
We are of course speaking of the Living God. Here is a list of 26 verses which speak of His uniqueness. . . with none to compare to Him. . .
We must know who we worship. We must know of His great value. We must know of and extol and recognize His unique uniqueness. We humble ourselves by lifting Him up. . . It is vitally important that we know who we worship. He will tolerate no competition for our worship.
I love you my God. I celebrate your unique uniqueness. I worship you. I humble myself before you, as having more in common with a lowly worm, than in common with you. I thank you for loving me. . . for loving all mankind, for coming to earth robed in flesh, and redeeming us by your sacrifice.
I love you my God. . .
I thank you my Lord. . .
Dave
But uniqueness is a function of vision. The closer the inspection, the sharper the vision, items appearing to be the same, are resolved to become in fact unique. Precision ball bearing, are manufactured to astoundingly close tolerances. The ultimate goal is for them to be strictly identical. Smoothness of operation, rotational concentricity, and long life of the mechanism all depend upon the balls in the race being twins of one another. Each bearing the load placed upon the race equally, but even with as much utmost care taken as is possible, micron and submicron differences can be discerned in diameter, weights differ when measured accurately to many decimal places, mirrored surface finishes can be compared and ranked, surface hardness. . . internal grain structure. . . feature after feature. Items meant to be the same, taken as the same, considered the same with close enough vision are found to be in fact uniquely different.
Other items of the same in concept or function. . . imagine viewing a million thumbs aside one another. Short, wide, fat, thin, wrinkled, smooth, black, brown, white, yellow, red. . . long nails, closely cropped nails, dirty nails, painted, bitten, manicured, chipped. . . healthy, unhealthy. . . newborn, and ancient, for all their differences, are still recognizable as thumbs. They are the same, and yet all different. Their difference can be quantified by peering again more closely at them. The study of the prints of thumbs, divides them into classes: plain arch, tented arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, plain whorl, central pocket whorl, double loop whorl, and central pocket whorls. Micro universes of staggering complexity, and structure, uniqueness visible only under magnification.
Every thumb is the same appearing, taking the same position on the hand, having the same function to the person, and aside from its differences is recognizable as a thumb, but different. . . unique on many levels, and quantifiably unique, and greatly studied in the pattern of the skin, . . .its print.
Uniqueness is ubiquitous. . . Uniqueness is everywhere. Every tree, every rock, every sunrise, every star in the sky. . . every baby. . . every smile. . . every breath and heartbeat. . . every tear is different, and if looked at closely enough exists alone from the beginning of time as an individual. My grandfather loved sailing upon Lake Michigan. He often remarked, that the color of the Lake was never the same from one day to the next. Wind, sun, clouds, the clarity of the water itself, ever changing. . . endlessly changing.
Simply being unique does not create value. The cars in the junkyard differ in more ways than those same cars did when sitting on the showroom floor. They are given no value because their class is so large. It is not at all difficult to find junkyard cars, but to find a showroom new Cadillac 50 years after its manufacture increases its value greatly, for the class of such cars is tiny. Simply being an individual unlike any other, does not automatically give value, but being in a small and desired class greatly increases worth.
Therefore we see that uniqueness is ubiquitous. . . but there is One who is uniquely unique. There is one who resides alone in His class. Who has none of His type with which to even compare. No micro-measurement is necessary to discern difference between He and others. There are no others even remotely similar to Him. Indeed no micro-measurement is possible. The scope of view required to wholly take in this uniquely unique Entity, would require a scope of the entire universe.
We are of course speaking of the Living God. Here is a list of 26 verses which speak of His uniqueness. . . with none to compare to Him. . .
Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day,
and consider it in thine heart,
that the LORD he is God in heaven above,
and upon the earth beneath:
there is none else.
Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear,
O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD:
1 Samuel 2:2
There is none holy as the LORD:
for there is none beside thee:
neither is there any rock like our God.
2 Samuel 7:22
Wherefore thou art great,
O LORD God:
for there is none like thee,
neither is there any God beside thee,
according to all that we have heard with our ears.
1 Kings 8:60
That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God,
and that there is none else.
1 Chronicles 17:20
O LORD,
there is none like thee,
neither is there any God beside thee,
according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Nehemiah 9:6
Thou, even thou,
art LORD alone;
thou hast made heaven,
the heaven of heavens,
with all their host,
the earth,
and all things that are therein,
the seas,
and all that is therein,
and thou preservest them all;
and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Psalms 86:8
Among the gods
there is none like unto thee,
O Lord;
neither are there any works
like unto thy works.
Psalms 86:10
For thou art great,
and doest wondrous things:
thou art God alone.
Isaiah 43:11
I, even I, am the LORD;
and beside me
there is no saviour.
Isaiah 43:13
Yea, before the day was I am he;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand:
I will work,
and who shall let it?
Isaiah 44:6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel
, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first,
and I am the last;
and beside me there is no God.
Isaiah 44:8
Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
have not I told thee from that time,
and have declared it?
ye are even my witnesses.
Is there a God beside me?
yea, there is no God;
I know not any.
Isaiah 44:24
Thus saith the LORD,
thy redeemer,
and he that formed thee from the womb,
I am the LORD that maketh all things;
that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;
that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD,
and there is none else,
there is no God beside me:
I girded thee,
though thou hast not known me:
Isaiah 45:6
That they may know from the rising of the sun,
and from the west,
that there is none beside me.
I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:18
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it;
he hath established it,
he created it not in vain,
he formed it to be inhabited:
I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:21
Tell ye, and bring them near;
yea, let them take counsel together:
who hath declared this from ancient time?
who hath told it from that time?
have not I the LORD?
and there is no God else beside me;
a just God and a Saviour;
there is none beside me.
Isaiah 45:22
Look unto me, and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth:
for I am God,
and there is none else.
Isaiah 46:9
Remember the former things of old:
for I am God, and there is none else;
I am God, and there is none like me,
Hosea 13:4
Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt,
and thou shalt know no god but me:
for there is no saviour beside me.
Joel 2:27
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the LORD your God,
and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last:
and, What thou seest, write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia;
unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna,
and unto Pergamos,
and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 21:6
And he said unto me,
It is done.
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end.
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end,
the first and the last.
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last:
and, What thou seest, write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia;
unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna,
and unto Pergamos,
and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 21:6
And he said unto me,
It is done.
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end.
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end,
the first and the last.
We must know who we worship. We must know of His great value. We must know of and extol and recognize His unique uniqueness. We humble ourselves by lifting Him up. . . It is vitally important that we know who we worship. He will tolerate no competition for our worship.
Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god:
for the LORD,
whose name is Jealous,
is a jealous God:
1 Chronicles 29:11
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
I love you my God. I celebrate your unique uniqueness. I worship you. I humble myself before you, as having more in common with a lowly worm, than in common with you. I thank you for loving me. . . for loving all mankind, for coming to earth robed in flesh, and redeeming us by your sacrifice.
I love you my God. . .
I thank you my Lord. . .
Dave
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