Never ending mystery…

I’m currently attending a college/career class at my church, and we have been studying Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project. It has been a really challenging series that I have really enjoyed so far, and if you are looking for something to expand your thinking and perspective on God, I would recommend watching this series.

After each episode, we participate in some follow-up/review questions as a group. Last night, there was a question that said something along the lines of, “should we accept and embrace the mystery of God, or attempt to simplify Christianity in a simple statement?” I’m sure I totally butchered that question, but that was the idea of what it was saying, at least. I think the easy answer here, if we really don’t want to put in the effort, would be to attempt to sum up God, Christianity, all that goes with it, into a simple statement. But what are the benefits of embracing the reality that God is a mystery? How is that fun and not just frustrating? If you’re into mysteries and solving puzzles, then this could be of some interest…yet, if God is so incredible and magnificent that He ultimately can’t completely be figured out, then what’s the point? If you can’t solve the mystery and find the answer, why look for the answer?

I believe that the answer to these questions is: levels. No, we’re never going to totally figure out God until we get to heaven, and we may not fully understand God even then. But God is a God of purpose and order and I believe that He’s left clues of Himself along the way for us, creating this beautiful scavenger hunt we can choose to participate in our whole lives. I think, God portrays Himself as a mystery to us on purpose. Yes, the answer may be that we simply cannot handle to know 100% who He is; as humans, this may be too overwhelming for us. Yet, I also believe that God wants to go on this incredible adventure with us, holding our hand along the way, as we explore His nature and uncover new things about Him at different levels, constantly. So why embrace the reality that He is ultimately a mystery? Because He designed it that way so that we have somewhere to go from. If we sum Him up in one statement, then that moment is over, we can move on, and have nowhere else to go. But if God is a mystery, one that we can keep discovering new things about, then the possibilities are endless and the adventure continues.

When you were younger, did you even go to a birthday party with a scavenger hunt? When I was little, my parties were the ones that had fun games like scavenger hunts, because I was blessed with a mom that goes over the top for birthday parties. I remember one year we had a list of things we were supposed to find in the mall, and whoever finished their list first won a prize. The Bible talks about keeping the awe and simplicity in our faith, like a child has:
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to  such              as these.’” –Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

So even though not being able to figure out the answers is something that drives me crazy, I’m grateful that God took the time to write out His Word and reveal Himself to me, in a way that gives me somewhere to go from here, a place to continue to grow in.

“‘But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.’” Daniel 2: 28a (NIV)

The hottest part of the day…

“The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to the tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried…to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” –Genesis 18:1-2 (NIV)

It’s interesting how this verse emphasizes that these things appeared to Abraham during the hottest part of the day. At this time, he was living in Hebron, which was right by the Dead Sea (Salt Sea), close to Judah and Jerusalem, and not far from Egypt. While this was probably a fertile and manageable land to live in, it didn’t rain very much and, based on location, I’m sure it was incredibly hot in the middle of the day. Hebron was near the Arabian Desert and, while not directly located in it, I’m sure it got hot enough to see mirages in Hebron. Yet, I find it so interesting that when he “looked up” and suddenly saw 3 men standing in front of him, he took it as real and he didn’t second guess, at all, that he was seeing things; vs. 2 says, “When he saw them, he hurried…” Not only that, he got up and served them, going to great lengths to supply all their needs:

“So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. ‘Quick,’ he said, ‘get three sehas of fine flour and knead it and bake it into some bread.’ Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to the servants, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.” –Genesis 18:6-8 (NIV)

He sacrificed his “choice” calf so that these strangers could have something to eat. Abraham was so tuned into God that he recognized these weren’t just ordinary men. He recognized these visitors as God; 1 was God appearing in human form and the other two were probably angels. I believe the point of this visit was actually for Sarah; for her to hear firsthand that she would soon become pregnant with Isaac (vs. 9-15). However, why God didn’t just show up to her individually, but rather he chose to go through Abraham, I’m not sure. Perhaps, it was also to test Abraham and see how quick he’d respond to serve. How often do we second guess God and think that maybe it was just a “mirage,” or random thought in our head? Abraham shows here that we need to be quick and willing to serve, and to serve with all our effort, even if its at an inconvenient and uncomfortable time, like the hottest part of the day.