The Magnificent Mystery

Job 11:7 – Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? (NIV)

Having grown up in Bermuda, I delighted daily in watching the clouds dance in the sunshine and the stars gaze down upon us in the cool of a summer evening. You can tell I am missing those evenings, dwelling here now in rainy, snowy British Columbia. Where is God's glory?

The wise men's star fascinated me from an early age, but now my mind stretches further afield. Can we ever understand the mysteries of God the Creator, or are we too small and insignificant? I mean we are too small of brain, too small of importance. But, wait — we humans must be very important to God, for didn't we count so much to Him so as to send us a Saviour? Wow! Yes, we are important, but still, we cannot fully understand the mysteries of who God is, try as we might.

There is so much to this universe that we simply cannot fathom — even our scientists cannot break through. Yes, we would like to be the rulers of our own universe and understand everything, but we are not that important, and so much knowledge escapes us. God is surrounded by great mysteries, and the more we come to understand, the more we know that we do not know. We trust our beginning, journey, and homecoming to the Lord, who guides us through all of life. To accept God as real means that we have grown up in faith and trust Him utterly. We now have something just as mysterious to learn, but this time we can grab it, touch it.

It is love that makes the difference, love that fills the void. Jesus' coming makes the difference — the babe of Bethlehem shows us the meaning of this existence: we are to live in love for God and one another. John 3:16 is well-loved and for good reason. "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV) Love is the glue that ties us to the mysteries of God with some understanding.

Jesus' coming made a tremendous difference. He didn't fit into the Pharisaic understanding and laws of His day. He doesn't fit into the contemporary rules of church life today. He opened the heavenly doors by teaching us the truth about God's love: true love is unselfish giving of self. Jesus died forgiving those who persecuted Him. Can we live that way? Can we learn the true meaning of love? God made us with a canopy over us, to love one another as Jesus loves us. That is why Jesus came to earth to show us this wondrous glimpse into the mystery of God: God is love. Wow! I see it now — and worship Christ with all my love.

Prayer: Dear Lord, fill us, we pray, with Your great love, so this earth will at last make wondrous sense. As we look up to the stars, we now can learn something about Your mysteries; they are all packaged in love — real, unselfish love. Teach us, dear Lord, how to live in love, relating to our families and associates and friends with such love that our lives will catch a wondrous glimpse of Your mysteries. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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