"The Greatest Mystery of All"

"The Greatest Mystery of All"

       

      I have long maintained that the simplest truth of Scripture is its declaration that "there is one God" - unless that God exists in and as three distinct Personalities of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (I Timothy 2:5).

    "Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation" (Psalm 89:26).

    "Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, o God, is forever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8).

    "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?... Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God" (Acts 2:4-5).

    In this holy light, the simplest truth becomes infinitely complex beyond our complete understanding.  The very being and nature of God drives us to our knees and faces in wonder.  Little wonder then that His ways so often challenge our understanding and and discomfit our senses and emotions.

    "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).

    The mystery of God involves both who He is and what He does.  How can He exist as both Oneness and Plurality?  Why does He act as He does?  Any believer who does not allow a place in heart and mind for such ineffable mystery fails to think clearly about that which transcends our thoughts.  Regarding God's omnipresence, the Psalmist acknowledged, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me!  It is high, I cannot attain unto it!" (Psalm 139:6).  We could say that same about everything regarding our Lord's infinite being and way.  However, the one aspect of such glory that should most greatly astound us involves the most personal of truths for every one of us.

   "For as the Heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him" (Psalm 103:11).

   God's grace and mercy, personally bestowed upon us, should comprise the greatest mystery of all.  "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!"  We should each shake our heads and bow our hearts in frequent bewilderment regarding the measure of mercy we have personally known.  Indeed, we all do well to join the Apostle Paul in perceiving ourselves as the "chief" of sinners (I Timothy 1:15).  Nothing should more raise questions regarding God and His ways than the fact that He saved a wretch like me.  "Too wonderful" indeed!  Amid the mysteries of God's being and way, the measure of mercy, the infinite measure of mercy personally bestowed upon us, must be paramount in our hearts and minds. Remembrance of Calvary and its Christ will maintain our wonder regarding such a freely given gift, provided to us through so high a cost.  As Paul testified, "I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20; emphasis added).

"And as He entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when He saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger." 

(Luke 17:12-18)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Who can understand his errors? Cleanse Thou me from secret faults.

(Psalm 19:12)