Many people enjoy reading a great mystery novel. Part of the attraction captured in the story is the tension throughout that ultimately leads to the resolution of the mystery. What would happen if at the end of the story, the last chapter was removed from the book and the solution was never revealed? There's no doubt, the reader would experience feelings of confusion, frustration, and even anger. There's something within our human nature that struggles with unresolved situations. In other words we feel uncomfortable with the unknown. We need to know how and why something happens so we can capture, control, or at times manipulate our circumstances. We operate from a tangible place wherein something is "real" only when we can experience it with our senses and understand it. This fact is not necessarily true of all situations. Most people won't be motivated to find out what gravity tangibly looks like, we just accept scientifically that it exists. The closest evidence we have that tells us gravity is real is seen in outer space as we watch astronauts float around on the international space station. God is often a challenge to us as human beings. For many, God is not "real" because they cannot tangibly perceive Him. Followers of Christ are called to operate by faith which is defined in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
THE MYSTERY OF GOD
There is a mystery about God which does not allow us to neatly package Him up and put Him in a box of our own creation. Yet, something within our spirits keeps human beings in pursuit of God, in pursuit of a Mystery. We see examples in both the Old and New Testaments. Moses was drawn to investigate a phenomena that didn't make sense, a bush that burned but was not consumed. (Exodus 3:1-3) After, the Lord called Moses, he continued to have a desire to tangibly "see" God. In Exodus 33, Moses asked God to show him His glory. However, the Lord declined to fully reveal Himself to Moses. God declared, "... you cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live." (Exodus 33:20) However, God allowed Moses a glimpse of Himself while Moses remained safely shielded in the cleft of a rock. Moses was able to see God's back but not His face or put another way, he was unable to see the full revelation of God. (Exodus 33:21-23) Moses was left in pursuit of a Mystery. In the New Testament, Jesus becomes the "face" and reflection of God. However, the disciples were never fully able to comprehend the mystery represented in Christ. In one of His many miracles, Jesus calms a storm which the disciples perceived was a threat to their lives. After Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves, we are told the disciples were terrified and asked each other, "...Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him." (Mark 4:41) The disciples came to understand more fully who Jesus was after His resurrection and especially after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to empower them to carry the gospel to the world. (Acts 1-2) However, like Moses, the disciples were still left to some degree pursuing a Mystery.
LIVING BY FAITH, NOT SIGHT
Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 13, "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Furthermore, John states, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) God has created in humanity a longing and desire to pursue a Mystery whether or not we are followers of Christ. On the one hand our challenge is this, will we become frustrated and deny or give up on what we cannot capture and/or understand? On the other hand, will we pursue the Mystery of God and rest by faith in the revelation of who Jesus is, even though we will not fully know Him until we enter into His presence in eternity? For those who choose to follow Jesus Christ and "...live by faith, not sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) let us embrace Paul's words to Timothy as we pursue a Mystery, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will reward me on that day---and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." (who have pursued this Mystery. italics mine) (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Pursuing Him,
Pastor Sheree
