"The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 13:10-13,
"The disciples came to him and asked, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?' He replied, 'Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'"
Ever wonder why Jesus spoke in such a cryptic manner at times? His disciples certainly did and asked him about it. What's more is that Jesus gave them the answer.
The things of heaven are shrouded from life here on earth. We do not see what takes place in heaven, we do not see God's agenda being carried out by those in the heavenly realm who do his bidding. We do not see God himself. The reason for this is that God has determined he wants all who want him - but only those who want him - to join him in his family for eternity. He assures the fair and equitable outcome of this (to satisfy the demands of justice) by maintaining a cloak, or veil preventing us from seeing the reality of spiritual things so that faith has an opportunity to express itself within our hearts and therefore prove we want him, we desire him, that we give ourselves to him.
This is why God has determined that only those who embrace him in faith will be allowed to enter into his family for eternity and escape the horrific judgment everyone else will face at the end of the age: those who do embrace him in faith will ever only do so because they want him. They want God more than the pleasures of a short season, they want God more than clinging to the sin that dominates their lives, they want God more that anything or anyone else in this life.
In order to manifest those who want him in this way, he provides for an environment where faith can demonstrate itself in the lives of those who want God... proving that they do. If we see things, if we touch things, we accept them not on the basis of faith but the basis of hard facts, of perceived and known evidence. If God provides just enough of himself (through his word, through the first coming of Jesus Christ, etc.), but not enough to "prove" himself to us, then it takes faith on our part to embrace him, demonstrating our heartfelt desire for him.
Very simply, God keeps many things that are his from mankind to manifest whether any of us are wheat or chaff, sheep or goats, those who will become children of God or not. He, of course, knows our hearts. However, on judgment day, the fairness of everyone's outcome will be made abundantly clear.
"The disciples came to him and asked, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?' He replied, 'Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'"
Ever wonder why Jesus spoke in such a cryptic manner at times? His disciples certainly did and asked him about it. What's more is that Jesus gave them the answer.
The things of heaven are shrouded from life here on earth. We do not see what takes place in heaven, we do not see God's agenda being carried out by those in the heavenly realm who do his bidding. We do not see God himself. The reason for this is that God has determined he wants all who want him - but only those who want him - to join him in his family for eternity. He assures the fair and equitable outcome of this (to satisfy the demands of justice) by maintaining a cloak, or veil preventing us from seeing the reality of spiritual things so that faith has an opportunity to express itself within our hearts and therefore prove we want him, we desire him, that we give ourselves to him.
This is why God has determined that only those who embrace him in faith will be allowed to enter into his family for eternity and escape the horrific judgment everyone else will face at the end of the age: those who do embrace him in faith will ever only do so because they want him. They want God more than the pleasures of a short season, they want God more than clinging to the sin that dominates their lives, they want God more that anything or anyone else in this life.
In order to manifest those who want him in this way, he provides for an environment where faith can demonstrate itself in the lives of those who want God... proving that they do. If we see things, if we touch things, we accept them not on the basis of faith but the basis of hard facts, of perceived and known evidence. If God provides just enough of himself (through his word, through the first coming of Jesus Christ, etc.), but not enough to "prove" himself to us, then it takes faith on our part to embrace him, demonstrating our heartfelt desire for him.
Very simply, God keeps many things that are his from mankind to manifest whether any of us are wheat or chaff, sheep or goats, those who will become children of God or not. He, of course, knows our hearts. However, on judgment day, the fairness of everyone's outcome will be made abundantly clear.
Once that issue is settled for any of us in this life, God reveals more of himself and those things that are his to those of us who have embraced him in faith, that we might know him better, that we might understand what he is doing in the world, that we might grow and develop as his children. As God reveals himself to those who are his, we develop patience, understanding, perseverance, and our excitement and hope in what awaits us.
Everybody else is simply left in the dark. "They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." 1 John 2:11. This is why Jesus pointed out that in spite of having the faculties to hear and understand, unbelievers will never hear or understand the things of God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Everybody else is simply left in the dark. "They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." 1 John 2:11. This is why Jesus pointed out that in spite of having the faculties to hear and understand, unbelievers will never hear or understand the things of God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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