It's A Mystery

Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Mysteries. Unless you don't know Christ personally, life can be a mystery. We all have some sense of understanding about how life works, birth to death, in ourselves and in nature. But the greatest mystery is how it all began. For some it's all a scientific phenomenon. For believers, it's all about God's handiwork. It's a mystery requiring nothing more than faith. Faith itself is a mystery. It goes beyond what we can see. Life started with God and that's that. We may not fully understand how, but, hey, we only need to realize that it did.

God is a mystery in a way. He's unseen, unheard, untouchable to some. To those in Christ He is seen in His creation: nature, in all forms of life and even in how He works in our personal lives. He IS heard in the spirits, through His Spirit, of those who have received Him. We may not be able to touch Him, but He's there and available to us. There are times when I have sensed His touch on me, felt His arms holding me. Yes, it's a mystery, but it's God. 

I don't question why things are the way they are in this world anymore. God knows the beginning from the end. It's His job to keep things either disorganized that we might look to Him or organized that we might glory in His plan. His plan for this world began and will end in His timing. We who are in Christ only need stand in the strength He has given us knowing that He will give us what we need when we need it. Even all that can be a mystery...how does He know? I don't question anymore. I just know that He knows. I just know that because I am in relationship with Him, I have only to ask for whatever it is I need. I have the understanding, the faith, to believe this.

The Apostle Paul continues to encourage the church in Ephesus on these matters. He describes the mystery in Ephesians Chapter 3: it was by God's own revelation through His Spirit that the mystery was made known. The mystery is this, that God became a Man (Jesus) and dwelt among us so that He might introduce Himself to us, that we might know Him, see the miracles, trust in Him, believe in Him, carry this knowledge down from generation to generation so that others might believe. Did you see that...through His Spirit He reveals the mystery. We receive that Spirit when we receive Christ.

The Old Testament is filled with history about God's presence with His people, Israel. But they constantly rejected Him or walked away from Him, even doubted Him. After so many hundreds of years of this, God grew weary and remained silent for four hundred years until He introduced Himself as His Son! Those quiet days were spent in war. In time they realized their need for salvation from this life. And God knew. He was behind the scenes all the while "planning" to reveal Himself once again, but this time not just to Israel, but the whole world. That plan was Jesus Christ.

If we allow this country, this world, to eliminate God from the picture (and I've read we may be in the throes of yet another time like the 400 years) He may again cause us to be without His presence. Do we truly want this? He has been our provision, our strength, our wisdom. We will falter again without Him. So how does that grab you? 

Glenn Beck and others have been sensing that another spiritual awakening is about to happen. I hope so. I'd like to see people I know come to a better understanding of Jesus Christ than they already have. Someone who would fill their lives not with the things of the world but with the things of God. Until we get a full understanding that nothing we own can satisfy--another mystery--like Jesus, we will not truly live. I'm certain I still do not have a complete understanding of this myself. But I have taken the right step in the right direction to know this.

God is a mystery. He has created each of us with a touch of spirituality built right in that we might seek Him. We can either choose not to heed the call to seek or take a chance that what lies ahead after seeking Him might be the best thing that ever happened...and that we will be given the ability to preach, as Paul tells us: about the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:8-9). Unsearchable riches of Christ: not our homes, our hobbies, our families, our leisure time activities, our addictions, our lusts. None of these can satisfy like the knowledge of the wisdom of Christ in our lives. We tap into the mystery by receiving Christ.

Wouldn't you like to be part of the fellowship of the mystery, something that is and always will be a mystery...without Christ? Wouldn't you like to have the manifold wisdom of God? Listen to what Paul tells us we have if we allow ourselves to believe: we have boldness and access with confidence, we can have strength through His Spirit, He will dwell in our hearts, we will be given the wisdom to understand the width, length, depth and height of the love of Christ that we might be filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:12,16-19). He will dwell in our hearts... That part that is existing in us from birth is not totally activated or transferred to our hearts unless we ask Him to do this. A hard word? You might ask: Doesn't God live in all our hearts if we believe in Him? You just said there is part of Him built in. There is a difference. It's a 6" difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge...that knowledge of knowing who He is and knowing Him personally. 

I'm the kind of person who always wants to grow in knowledge. Right now what I know is I prefer to grow in understanding the width, length, depth and height of the love of Christ. I want the fullness of God in my life. That means knowing His love and His judgment. I never want to become content where I am spiritually. Oh, that others would have this same desire. Oh, that God would unveil the eyes of so many wandering this life without this wisdom of this mystery.

Won't you desire that this mystery be revealed, the fullness of God's wisdom? Won't you desire to know the love only Christ brings, to realize God's plans for you? He is, after all, our all in all, if we choose Him. Won't you desire to know that your life, protection and needs are all secure...through Him?

2 Corinthians 9:8 - ...God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.