The Mystery
by Pam Smith
It’s hard to understand the mystery of the Gospel until it becomes part of you. It’s even harder to explain it to someone who hasn’t met Jesus and invited the Holy Spirit to live in him or her. But it’s the answer for how to live the Christian life. It’s a glorious mystery, which is revealed to those who follow Christ.
Many mysteries in this world are fathomless, for humans are more than just body and mind; they are also spirit. God is the supreme mystery. Paul says in Acts 17:28 ‘In Him we live and move and have our being’, therefore mystery invades every dimension of our life. Human love is a mystery. The gift of a child is an amazing mystery. A magnificent sunset, the colours in the ‘Northern Lights’, the raging waves of the sea, or how a mother penguin can find her offspring among a thousand others are all a mystery. Darwin’s theory falls apart when faced with the complexity of tiny molecular machines which have now been found in cells and encoded by DNA. How to explain intelligent design without a Designer has now become a mystery to many scientists (see ‘Unlocking the Mystery of Life’ on Utube).
You can probably think of many glorious mysteries that you’ve seen, some of which can be explained. But here’s a mystery. How can someone’s heart be so evil and yet a God of Love can restore such a person?
Paul prayed for the Colossians, ‘that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:2-3). This is one of the most glorious mysteries in the world: ‘Christ in You the hope of glory’. It’s Christ living in me and me living in Him, as the branch in the Vine (John 15:4). It gives us more than hope of the glory to come. It’s something that can occur in our lives right now, and to me it still remains the beautiful mystery
How beautiful the mystery,
The Eternal Word came down,
The Servant King has set us free –
To live for His renown.
Eric Schumaker
Prayer: Dear Lord, we understand so little of your glory and splendour, but we thank You that You reveal Your secrets to Your children and we love the things You show us, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pam Smith has a background in art and nursing, has a son and two daughters and six grandchildren. She has been a friend and helper of Ellel Ministries since l992, and has been involved with Healing Through Creativity Courses. As writer of the Shepherd Love Series, she has a passion for the comfort and encouragement that leads people towards enjoying abundant Life in Jesus.
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