Embracing the mystery
"I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2,3
For us North Americans, mystery is not such a good thing. It makes us uncomfortable. Does not sit well ... We NEED answers ... We DESERVE answers ... We WANT them now. Our constant quest to know, to understand, to unravel and eliminate the mystery leaves us often in an awkward place in trying to relate to God and His workings. Our God, quite simply, is a mysterious God. He is shrouded in the unknown, unfathomable, and incomprehensible.
Certain cultures and peoples are more comfortable with mystery than we are. They accept more readily the unknown and uncontrollable. But for us, it is hard. For us it requires a conscious release of control, a step of faith that goes against many of our cultural values. Control and mystery do not co-exist well. Either we choose the self-asserting illusion of control, or we embrace the mystery of a God beyond our control. God who will not be defined, put in a box, explained by mere words and human doctrine or dogma.
Think about it. Sometimes we pray. He answers. Sometimes we pray. He doesn't. Yet in both cases, He whispers to us, "Trust me. Know me, the Unknowable One, the Trustworthy One"
So today, right now, I choose mystery over control. I choose the mysterious God. The One I can't control or tame or fully explain, who owes me no answers but sometimes offers them just the same. He is the One who holds it all together even when everything appears, from my perspective, to be breaking apart. He has the big picture. He IS the big picture. He who invites me to know the mystery. Me in Christ and Christ in me.
For us North Americans, mystery is not such a good thing. It makes us uncomfortable. Does not sit well ... We NEED answers ... We DESERVE answers ... We WANT them now. Our constant quest to know, to understand, to unravel and eliminate the mystery leaves us often in an awkward place in trying to relate to God and His workings. Our God, quite simply, is a mysterious God. He is shrouded in the unknown, unfathomable, and incomprehensible.
Certain cultures and peoples are more comfortable with mystery than we are. They accept more readily the unknown and uncontrollable. But for us, it is hard. For us it requires a conscious release of control, a step of faith that goes against many of our cultural values. Control and mystery do not co-exist well. Either we choose the self-asserting illusion of control, or we embrace the mystery of a God beyond our control. God who will not be defined, put in a box, explained by mere words and human doctrine or dogma.
Think about it. Sometimes we pray. He answers. Sometimes we pray. He doesn't. Yet in both cases, He whispers to us, "Trust me. Know me, the Unknowable One, the Trustworthy One"
So today, right now, I choose mystery over control. I choose the mysterious God. The One I can't control or tame or fully explain, who owes me no answers but sometimes offers them just the same. He is the One who holds it all together even when everything appears, from my perspective, to be breaking apart. He has the big picture. He IS the big picture. He who invites me to know the mystery. Me in Christ and Christ in me.
Excellent thoughts,Brenda. Thank you for sharing! I like your comment: He has the big picture. He IS the big picture.
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