Unfathomable

​"Think of God in a big way and if you do, that's too small."
Father Thomas Keating

God is unfathomable. Unfathomable is a metaphorical word. For millennia, sailors used a long rope, called a sounding line, with a weight tied on the end and lowered over the side of their ship until they felt the weight hit bottom. The line was marked with a colored rag or leather strip at a regular interval, typically every 6 feet, which was called a fathom. Sailors and explorers could create charts showing the depth of the ocean in fathoms along their route. But in some locations the bottom of the ocean was deeper than the length of their finite sounding line. These areas were called unfathomable -- deeper than could be measured. So, when we say God is unfathomable, we mean that God is beyond the limits of man's ability to measure or even conceive.
 
We do our best to try to conceive of God. We try names and concepts on God, and we apply the ones that best suit our needs or understanding. But God is higher, wider, and deeper than any name or concept or category we might devise. 
 
When Moses asked God His name, God gives Himself the singular name: "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). God reveals himself through nature, through scripture, through the prophets, and -- most relatable of all -- through Jesus. Even in those revelations, we know God only in partial and incomplete ways. 
 
We have many names for God, and we use many words to describe God. We are familiar with the many names of God from the Bible: Almighty God, Father, Lord Most High, to name only a few. Here is a list of names of God compiled from numerous sources. Read through them and perhaps you will gain a stronger appreciation for the unfathomableness of God.
 
These are names for God from Thomas Keating (cited in "Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Mystic," by Cynthia Bourgeault):
The Absolute 
The Source of All That Is
The Creator of All
Ultimate Reality 
The Source
The Divine
Presence
Isness

These are names for God from Nan Merrill's book, "Psalms for Praying:" 
Love
Beloved
Heart of Love
Flame of Love
Heart of my Heart
The Name of Love
Love Divine
Loving Presence
Divine Presence
Healing Presence
Divine Guest
Creator
Creator of the Dance
Creator of the Cosmos
Creator of All
Architect of the Universe
The Great Birther
Giver of Life
Giver of the Journey
Friend
Light
Holy One
Silent One
Radiant One
Blessed One
Merciful One
Gracious One
Compassionate One
The Most High
Spirit of Truth
Silent Speaker
Comforter
Breathing Life
Breath of the Merciful
Mighty Counselor
Great Awakener

These are names for God from a variety of other sources:
Maker
Life Maker
Universe Maker
Lord of the Universe
Precious One
Majestic One
Majesty
Mighty Majesty
Majestic Provider
Precious Provider
Giver of All Things
Great Giver
Joy Giver
Source of All
Source of All Love
Source of Creation
Center Point
Center of the Creative Process
Intersection of All
Beneficent One
Eternal One
Omniscient One
Benevolent One
Good of All Goodness
Love of All Love
Infinite Lover
Triune God
Victory Giver
Breath of Life
Water of Life
Fountain of Life
Source of Life
Power of Life
Strength of Life
Zealous Lover

We can never fully conceive of God, but by praying and meditating over each name or description, we may come a little closer to appreciating that God is unknowable – that we can't think of God in too big a way. Instead, we seek God beyond thinking, words, and concepts in our practice of Centering Prayer – simply consenting to God's presence and action within our very souls.