Who Doesn't Love A Good Mystery?

Everyone loves a good mystery. Whether it's a book or a movie or something on television, we're drawn in by the unknown. We enjoy following the clues,  solving the puzzles and celebrating when we figure out the answer.

With that in mind, you can't tell me you don't want to open this door. I have no idea what's back there. It reminds me of Let's Make a Deal - you can keep what you have in your hand, or you can choose the mystery that's behind Door #1. It could be something amazing, or it could be the giant rocking horse. You won't know until you try.

Several of the men who were inspired to write the Bible were also fond of mysteries. Mark, Paul (in many of his letters) and John all wrote about mysteries. They described the rapture, the kingdom of God, salvation, God's will, Jesus' parables and the relationship between Christ and the church as mysteries that needed answers. 

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 24-27

Let's sit here with Paul for a moment and skip to the good part. The gospel of Jesus Christ was the mystery, hidden from the Old Testament believers and revealed in shadowy explanations until Christ came to earth. The Old Testament saints believed with their whole hearts that the Messiah was coming, but they knew little else beyond that, even with the testimonies of the prophets. They knew He was promised, but they couldn't even imagine what His arrival - and His effect on the world - would truly look like.

So, for us, the mystery has been revealed. We know the who, what, when, where, why and how of Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection. We don't have a mystery door standing between us and the details of the gospel. How interesting to realize that we know more about Jesus Christ than the saints of the Old Testament did. They looked forward to it, but we're living it!

If we look around us, though, many of the people we see every day are still living in mystery. They either don't know or don't understand what the gospel means, how it applies to the 21st century and how it is still changing lives today. Guess what? That means we get to skip to the end of the story and reveal the mystery to them. Our testimony and the way we live our lives will show them all the clues they need to unravel the mystery of the gospel for themselves. That's how we tear down the door standing between them and a relationship with Jesus Christ. There's no better ending to a mystery than that!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Recovering An Old Card Table And Making It Usable Again

Image
This card table recover project has been on my to-do list for months. I've been using it as my workspace in the craft room for quite some time, and it sees a lot of abuse. Here it is now, with a neutral cover on it so I can take better pictures for my tutorials. There were dents and dings in the old blue covering from metal tools. And yes, I've used my embossing heat tool on it several times, leaving pretty good scars. The padding underneath the blue cover also made it difficult to keep paper crafts flat when adhering them together, so it was time for something new. That's where a simple vinyl tablecloth comes in handy. The process to recover the table is pretty simple, but I learned a couple of lessons the hard way. I share them with you now. First, don't do this on any surface but a carpet. I tried it on the deck int he sunshine to get better pictures, but all it did was tear up the cover. Second, get a second pair of hands to help you kee
Read more

Simple DIY Beaded Keychains

Image
We're having so much fun putting together goodie bags and door prizes for our upcoming ladies retreat at the church. So many of our ladies have donated craft supplies, decorations, time and energy to treat our visitors to an amazing time. These keychains are just one of the gifts some of the attendees will find in their bags. All you need to make them are a variety of beads, some fairly thin yet sturdy cord and a jump ring. Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and string it through the jump ring. String matching beads on both sides. And tie it off with a double knot. So simple, yet so pretty. Here's another variation: Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and thread it through a jump ring. Tie one or two beads on one side and tie it off with a knot. Make the other side longer with additional letters and beads before tying it off. Make a variety of lengths, colors, patterns and phrases so no two are alike.
Read more

Debilitating Disappontment

The things of this life tend to disappoint us. People aren't who we'd like them to be, events we'd hoped for never occur and things we'd expected to happen in a certain way never come to pass. I've tried relying on everything else in this life - relationships, career, better finances. When we look to mankind for answers or for hope, we will surely be disappointed. Our own misconceptions of life's circumstances leads us down a long, dreary path. What we plan and see inside our head doesn't always match what others see, or what may actually be reality. Looking into ourselves for "clarity" directs us straight to depression and failure. Have you ever heard yourself say, "I couldn't care less" and truly meant it? Having confidence in our own power to change our outlook means that we care more about the circumstances themselves rather than how to grow as Christian women. God is the only unchanging factor in our uncertain world. Focusing on
Read more