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My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3

The apostle Paul is writing about why he does what he does. He wants to spread the news and knowledge of Jesus.

I find it interesting that he describes this knowledge as the “mystery of God.” He doesn’t suggest he has answers about God — rather the mystery of God. Even though it’s a mystery, it still contains all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Sometimes God’s mysterious ways can be frustrating. We’d prefer that Paul shared God’s answers. But we need to remember that the process of understanding Jesus and this mystery is what brings knowledge and wisdom. Recognizing that God is a mystery is wisdom.

Love the mystery! Sometimes there is no clear answer… But we can find truth amidst the mystery of Jesus.

Be God’s — every day.

I observed all the work of God—that no one can grasp what happens under the sun. Those who strive to know can’t grasp it. Even the wise who are set on knowing are unable to grasp it.
Ecclesiastes 8:17

Life is complicated. Our world is complicated. Every answer we find often yields another question to ask.

Kind of frustrating? Sure. We all like answers.

Awe inspiring? I’d say yes. Recognizing how amazingly interconnected and complex our world is forms a foundation of how I view God. A simple life and world wouldn’t reflect the big-ness and creativity of God the Creator.

Not knowing the answers can cause us to throw up our hands in frustration. Or we can throw up our hands in praise.

How great is our God!

Be God’s — every day.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
Psalm 145:3

“I don’t know.”

That simple statement is perhaps both the most comforting and most frustrating reality in Christianity.

It is certainly frustrating, particularly when pressed by non-believers or when trying to wrestle with a specific theological issue. We are all trained to press for answers, and coming to an “it’s a mystery” conclusion is not fulfilling. In fact, many non-believers will use this as an excuse to entrench in their disbelief.

Despite this frustration, there is hope. It’s not a personal failing to not be able to fully answer every question about God. It’s ok if some questions end in mystery. As Michael Wittmer wrote in Christ Alone, if as you dig in to a theological question you find there isn’t a definitive answer, that surely means you are talking about God.

Because we have an all-powerful and all-knowing God, and we ourselves are limited in power and knowledge, there are aspects of God we will never understand. I pray that I can come to embrace that mystery rather than be frustrated by it.

Praise God for what he is… Even (especially?) the things we don’t understand!

Be God’s — every day.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
Deuteronomy 29:29

There are just some things we will never understand. Period.

God gave us much knowledge and insight into who he is and how we should live, but he did not give us all the answers. As quoted in Michael Wittmer’s “Christ Alone,” we know we’re talking about God when our line of thinking or questioning ends in mystery — if there are “answers” we might just be talking about ourselves.

Boy, can that be frustrating. Faith would be so much easier if there weren’t so many mysteries. But God’s goal isn’t to make our faith easy… It’s to make it meaningful and life changing. That doesn’t occur through adhering to a set of rules or memorizing why God does this or that. Our faith deepens as we hear, wrestle, doubt, and accept the mystery of who God is and how he loves us.

Thankfully, there are a few essentials that are fully prescribed for us, revealed in the teachings of Jesus. Love God. Love others. No mystery there.

Embrace the mystery of God, committing to love the Lord and love others while wrestling with the other stuff. Pray for peace of mind that these deep unknowns can be what they are: for God to know and reveal to us in time.

Be God’s — every day.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9

Some things happen that are beyond our understanding.

Monday morning, a colleague of mine showed up for a meeting in Lincolnshire. I assume he said goodbye to his family like any other work day.

As he walked into the meeting room, he collapsed and died instantly from an apparent heart attack.

His son had just graduated high school Sunday, and he was set to be installed as the President of his local congregation. He was a healthy man, though probably a bit high stress. Not even 50, he had many good years of work and family life left in him as far as human eyes could see.

But God knows more.

I can’t comprehend why this was David’s time. I know other colleagues of mine have the same thoughts, and I can only imagine what his family is feeling. Though as a faithful family, I am hopeful they too can see that God is in control in ways we don’t understand.

Please pray for the family and friends of David Wax.

Remember that God is big. Really big. So much so that we just don’t understand his ways. We must accept his mystery, no matter how hard it is to accept our own misunderstanding.

Be God’s — every day.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Acts 16:26

This raises a lot of questions for me…

Why did God choose to put me where he put me? Why did he give me to a young couple who would later divorce? Why am I in the world now, as opposed to 150 years ago? Why in the United States?

I can certainly say that with few exceptions, the circumstances highlighted above have created a blessed life for me. Before I could choose to accept or deny God, I was tremendously blessed.

Not everyone gets those blessings.

Why are so many children born in countries in Africa, where they have little chance to survive and thrive to even my age? Why did God choose to put Jewish people in Germany during the Third Reich? What is so different about me, that I am so blessed while others are born into a life of hardship?

I’ve heard one person say that some are blessed because God knew they would choose to follow. I find that difficult to follow, since there are millions of Americans who are tremendously blessed and who are the same (or worse) spiritual place as an impoverished person in Sudan.

Some look at these questions as a reason to turn away from God. “A loving God wouldn’t do this to people.” Instead, I see these questions as part of the great mystery that God is revealing over time. Some day, we will all know why.

Be God’s — every day.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

This verse presents a great mystery: as humans we plan, and have the ability to make choices, but God is ultimately in control… So how much free will do we really have?

Like other big questions, we can either get tied up in the mystery, or choose to celebrate the dichotomy. We get the best of both worlds — a choice, AND guidance. We can make plans, and yet God is sovereign over them. What a blessing!

Sure, the concept and mystery of free will is worth unpacking and wrestling with (though perhaps not at this hour of the morning…). But it is also a great joy to have the comfort that God is in control.

Be God’s — every day.