“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us.” Deut. 29:29
Although there are things that will remain a mystery until we are united with Christ, the psalmist tells us in Ps 25:14, that God offers intimate and lasting friendship to those of us who revere Him…revealing His deep truths to us as we struggle in this life and mature. Some mysteries require a glorified body to comprehend, yet other truths simply require a child-like faith, sprinkled with some personal maturity.
Let’s illustrate this concept with a personal example this week: We Cleary’s have a trip coming up, and dear Mom (moi) misplaced 2 of our 5 passports. Despite our gallant efforts to uncover them, they weren’t to be found, and we were running out of time. (Shaun and I didn’t want to make a round trip to LA or to pay the $ to get new ones, confidently knowing that these 2 passports were somewhere in our home!)
After days of looking, we were at the ‘end of our talented selves’ (8-31-09 R&R message), and I decided to “clear my mind” and take a run out on the bluffs near our home. Running and praying aloud with God, I must have looked like a total kook. I combed my brains as to what “safe spot” I’d placed these documents, praying aloud something like this, “God, You are sovereign and totally in control…and You CARE about even the littlest thing… like this. ~breathe, breathe~ I know that You know where these passports are! And I sense that my hand has been within inches of them the last 24 hours. ~breathe~ Would You please just put a beeper on them or something? I know You can do this. ~breathe, breathe~ God, please illuminate them for me! Would You jog my memory to the exact “safe” location I placed them in? Lord, I sense that my hand has literally brushed over them, but they remain veiled from me! Please remove the veil!”
Then it hit me…”remove the veil”…”within inches, but cannot see”… Oh I get this, Lord. You’re interested in revealing far more to me than mere passports. You want me to understand a much deeper truth. I get it. God then proceeded to reveal to me a deep spiritual truth that I have been searching and beseeching Him for recently.
~~And just to show Himself ALL-KNOWING, when I got back home, He revealed the passports. Unreal! Discovering them in an envelope full of photos, we quickly called our eldest son to share our exuberance. He went silent. “Mom, as I was praying this morning God impressed upon my heart to tell you to “look in the pictures, they’ll be there.”
WOW, oh WOW. WOW, WOW. Kels and I felt like King David, dancing before the Lord down the streets of Jerusalem! Oh, You are so good, Lord! So faithful! “The unfolding of Your Words gives light; and it gives understanding to the simple.” Ps. 119:130. For, as we cried out before the Lord, He “revealed” according to His Word. Ps. 119:169.
Our God yearns to know and to be known by us as He constantly woos and pursues us!
This week, as we pause with an attitude of thanksgiving (even if our family situations are difficult), what will be our prayer and our response of praise to our Father in Heaven? He is so worthy.
God bless you this wonderful Thanksgiving week!
Shaun and Betsy
