Building the Kingdom of God; Mystery

April 22

Read: 1 Tim 3:9,16, Col. 1:24-26, Eph. 3:1-13, Ecc. 3:11

Building the Kingdom of God;

Mystery

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecc. 3:11)

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.” (1 Tim. 3:16)

The Kingdom of God is MYSTERIOUS. There is no way around it. The ways that the Lord chooses to work things out in this world are not our ways. We think we know what is coming… but we don’t We long to take matters into our own hands… but we can’t. Building the Kingdom of God means leaning into and trusting the mystery of what God is doing. His ways are simply not our ways. (cf. 1 Cor. 2:6-16)

When we try to figure everything out it becomes a spirit that is sort of “anti-mystery”… working against the ways of the Kingdom. When God becomes “small” and we think we have him and his plans “in a box” - we become people who feel like we have grown out of the “mysterious”. When we think that we have it all “under control” and “figured out” we also can become quite arrogant. Remember: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Part of the enemy’s tactic is to goad us into thinking that we can take the place of God when we simply cannot. The idea that there are some things we just cannot know or control and will NEVER find out is anathema to those who worship themselves.

As the people of God- building His Kingdom- we must embrace HIS wonderful mysteries. May our hearts and minds be captured in wonder and awe as we watch the Lord work in ways we simply could not foresee or expect. This “mystery” is a huge part of how in the Kingdom there is “enough” and also that we are “out of this world”. (See previous Devos) It is a gift to not know at times… an act of humility to admit, “I don’t know exactly how it is going to work out” or “ I am having to trust the Lord because this is a ‘God-sized’ hurdle ahead of us.” When the Lord calls us to work in the Kingdom, it is a submission of our control to him… a willingness to humble ourselves before him. This is the MYSTERY that we find throughout the Kingdom. What is it that the Lord has in front of you right now, that you know he is calling you into, that you simply cannot see or understand a way forward? Are you ready and willing to walk by faith with him into the unknown… trusting that he has your make and will carry you through? What an adventure the Kingdom of God is. Love you guys. - JDP