The Mysteries of God

By reading it you will be able to understand what I know about the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:4 NIRV).

It is one of the subtle hazards of being a Christian for more than five or ten years – we can start to take the Bible for granted.  We often read a section of Scripture and think, “Oh yeah, I know that.  That’s a great principle . . .” and move right along with our day.  That would be a mistake. 

The Word of God is exactly that – the inspired, timeless, powerful, and prophetic words of our Heavenly Father to His family.  It is not a bunch of stories, principles, dos and don’ts, linked together with a few poetic books, and a very scary final chapter that seems to have no relationship whatsoever to life on planet earth right now (except of course for that earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the boiling over of the middle East, the impending cashless society, and the possibility that we just might be the great Babylon that is falling – oh, but I digress). 

The Word of God is, in fact, the unveiling of God’s master plan and as it so boldly proclaims about itself:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17 TNIV).

The power of God’s Word, however, is not in the mere reading, but in the doing.  That’s why the Apostle James states:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like.  But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do (James 1:22-25 TNIV).

We have the very mysteries of God explained to us in the Word of God.  If we truly believe that God is the Sovereign of the Universe and Jesus is our Lord and Savior, why would we not avail ourselves of the benefit of knowing God’s plan and purpose for our lives?  How else are we to get in alignment with the master plan that is unfolding at this very moment? 

Lord, help me to maintain a fresh appreciation for the treasure I have at my fingertips in Your Word.   And grant me the wisdom to understand the mysteries of Christ and to put them into action so that I will stay in step with Your Spirit on the narrow path towards the goal of the high call in Christ Jesus.