I confess when I am in a hurry, mysteries are a bother. But, on the other hand, when I have my truest priorities aligned, I love to figure things out and pull the obscure together into a compelling whole. It is the Father's perfect will to help us find the breadcrumbs that lead us to better understand Him and ourselves with greater insight and spiritual authority.
God seems to like making things precise or obscure. Sometimes He does both in the exact moment, sermon, divine interaction, service, or story. Proverbs tells us that "it is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (25.2). I imagine that Jesus' statement about His teaching has caused students of ministry to scratch their heads and wonder why. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others, I speak in parables, so that, "'Though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' (Luke 8.10)
Is it possible then that the seeking, more than the easy gathering of information, is to be part of finding the narrow way He mentioned? Is it possible that we must go slowly to go fast when it comes to God's mysteries because His truths are not "sale rack" truths, easily bought, at the moment, and then discarded like yesterday's junk mail? Instead, His truth and gifts of wisdom are of eternal worth.
There is so much that our Father gives us that costs us nothing, but one must invest themself, with great struggle, at times, to understand what we are to know. Proverbs calls it "buying truth." But, we are also told not to sell it once we get it. There is still an unfolding mystery behind everything my Father has done and is doing. I love that I get to talk with Him about everything and sense His joy at discovering freshly understood truth.
So, if someone wants to understand the mysteries of God, to go deeper into His heart, there is a time-price to pay. There is a thinking time to invest in and a deeper relationship to be gained through prayer. There are things God will keep hidden from those who only want someone to spoon-feed the Word to them. Living in God in a crazy world can become a parabolic mystery. Therefore, we must search out all that we don't understand in God in submission to the Holy Spirit and the Words of God, both written and spoken to our hearts.
I remember asking, why all the mysteries, God? I now see that it's because He raises us to be Kings and Queens under His authority. Searching out things is what we are all made in Christ to do. It's part of our new nature, and it is our inheritance to gain knowledge of Him, learn continually, enjoy delving into more than just the surface truths, and one day rule with our beloved.
Slow down, my soul, enjoy the mystery, let the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth, and continue to become what you should become—a child who lives with the glory of Kings.
—George Davis
