THE VERSE
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.~Deuteronomy 29:29
THE THOUGHT
When we think about God, it's easy for us to fall into one of two errors. Some Christians, particularly the ones who love theology and doctrine, can begin to think of God as being confined to their doctrinal and confessional boxes, neatly categorized into their systematic theologies, understood and known. Other Christians, whether confronted by the mystery of the Most High or simply too lazy to do the hard work of knowing God, disdain the theological approach of the other camp and instead hold to the so-called humility of doubt and mystery and unknowing. They say God is too big for us to know fully, and therefore we must hold all our beliefs loosely.Both camps are wrong, however, and are corrected by such passages like Deuteronomy 29:29. Here God corrects both errors. The secret things belong to the Lord, and it would be wise for some of our more theologically astute brothers and sisters to remember that. God is bigger than our boxes, He cannot be confined to categories, and He loves to surprise us just to show us how great He is. The Christian life is a life of being made aware again and again of the glorious reality that God is bigger than we thought He was.
But this verse also addresses those who love mystery more than knowledge. Yes, the secret things belong to the Lord our God. But the revealed things do belong to us and to our children forever. God has revealed Himself, and has given Himself to us to know and love forever. In His written Word and especially in His incarnate Word, His Son, God has revealed Himself to us. Just because we cannot know God fully does not mean we cannot know Him rightly. In fact, it is not humility to hold our beliefs loosely; to doubt what God has made plain is the height of arrogance. We must hold our beliefs with humility, of course. We embrace God's revelation not as people who are right, but as people who have been rescued. So press on to know the Lord. He has revealed Himself to us in the face of Jesus Christ, and He is infinitely precious and worth pursuing all our days.
THE PRAYER
Lord, You are beyond the grasp of my understanding. You are more magnificent than my mind can conceive. You are unsearchable, and Your paths are beyond tracing out. Your ways are higher than my ways and Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Forgive me for the arrogance of thinking I could ever contain You with my human categories. But I thank You that though You are high and exalted, You have also come near to me in Jesus. You have opened my eyes to see You clearly in Your Word, and You have given me Your Spirit to lead me into all truth. Forgive me for the arrogance of doubting what You have made plain. Keep me humble as I embrace the truth You have revealed, and as I embrace the Savior You have provided for me.EXTENDED READING
Isaiah 55:6-112 Corinthians 4:4-7
THE QUOTE
"To be a Christian means to give as much of myself as I can to as much of Jesus Christ as I know." ~Sam ShoemakerTHROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Ezekiel 24-26Job 9:1-20
John 9:13-25
1 John 2:1-11
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