MYSTERY BEARS REVELATION
Photo credit via CANVA app
FOCUS ON GOD - Nyukeyev Family
I'm locked in the middle of a war zone.
Battle rages as I walk these streets alone.
And if you see me at the end of a road,
I'll be the one, carrying the weight, of a heavy load.
The weight of the world is pulling me under.
Focus lost, thoughts drift, in the midnight rain-showers,
Elusive truths await beyond the foggy dancers,
Mystery bears revelation, through transcendent whispers.
Whispers in the wind reveal promise of the future.
Kingdom focused, where faith takes flight in every suture,
I surrender my heart, to embrace the adventure,
In You oh Lord, I place my trust, my true soul's treasure.
Through the trials and triumphs, redemption is priceless.
In the mystery lies wisdom, Your love undisguised,
With each sunrise, renewed focus and hope are baptized,
I'm kingdom focused, where truth is crowned, in the heart of Christ.
What does "mystery bears (holds) revelation" to you? Let's look at some scripture first. In Ephesians Chapter 3:1-6 (NIV), we find the Bible says:
"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles - Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit of God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."1
Merriam-Webster defines "mystery" as a “religious truth that one can know only by revelation and cannot fully understand. It can also mean the profound, inexplicable, or secretive quality or character.”2 Merriam-Webster defines "revelation" as an “act of revealing or communicating divine truth.”3
In Ephesians chapter 3, Paul stated the mystery was made known to him by revelation. Paul was under house arrest in Rome for preaching about Christ when he wrote the book of Ephesians. "The religious leaders in Jerusalem, who felt threatened by Christ's teachings and didn't believe He was the Messiah, pressured the Romans to arrest Paul and bring him to trial for treason and for causing rebellion among the Jews.”4 Paul maintained his firm belief that God was in control of everything, including his own circumstances. No matter what trials or challenges we face, we shouldn't lose our focus, but remember God is in control.
The "administration of God's grace" is the special commitment or trust that Paul had been given by God. As stated above, Paul received this "mystery" through a revelation. Revelation also means to see God. Paul had been assigned to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and had been given full grace and authority to fulfill it.
“God had not revealed His plan to previous generations.”5 God didn't withhold this from His people intentionally, but He would reveal it to Israel when the timing was perfect. God wanted the Jews and Gentiles to form one body, the church. "The Old Testament revealed the Gentiles would receive salvation, but it did not reveal that all Gentile and Jewish believers would share equally in the community of believers, the body of Christ. Yet this equality was accomplished when Jesus destroyed the "dividing wall of hostility" and created "one new humanity;’"6 thus there lies the "mystery of Christ."
So, what does "mystery bears (holds) revelation" mean after reading this? If a mystery is a religious truth that can only be known by revelation but not fully understood, what does that mean? If revelation means to see God or something revealed by Him; to me, it means we should place our full faith and trust in the promises of God without fully understanding the outcome. It means God does work in mysterious ways and reveals His will to us in many ways. This is why it is so important that our primary focus should be on God. When our focus shifts elsewhere, we can and will miss out on the "transcendent whispers" as stated in the poem above.
When we try and carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, we've lost our focus, not necessarily our faith. This is when the Devil loves to sweep in and fill our minds with doubts which lead to fear, anxiety, etc.
That's the war zone I'm speaking of in the poem. The war zone between our pride and God's promises to us.
I pray that your primary focus is God first. It takes a moment-by-moment total surrender of your commitment in obedience to God's will and let go of your sinful pride. That's not weakness my friend; that is letting God be in control and relying on His strength to bear the weight of your burdens. If you do, you won't be wondering the streets and locked in a war zone between good and evil in your mind. Think about it; I bet your mind would love that.
Friend, I hope you've been encouraged by reading this. I pray you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you ever have any questions about that or wanting to experience the feeling of being set free in Christ, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or someone. I'll be glad to talk with you and help in any way I can. Thank you for reading and being a subscriber and supporting my work. May God bless you!
Photo I took of Emerald Isle, NC sunrise
Photo credit via CANVA app
The Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition, New International Version, is published by Tyndale House publishers and Zondervan. Copyright – 2019, p. 2051.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revelation
The Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition, New International Version, is published by Tyndale House publishers and Zondervan. Copyright – 2019, p. 2051.
The Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition, New International Version, is published by Tyndale House publishers and Zondervan. Copyright – 2019, p. 2051.
The Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition, New International Version, is published by Tyndale House publishers and Zondervan. Copyright – 2019, p. 2051.
This was another winner!
I have never been to Emerald Isle, but we love Duck! That's where we stayed last year! We have similar pictures!
The grass withers and the flower fades are like life. It is a progression and each season of life comes from God. This poem and scripture really speaks to me and offers encouragement. Best post ever from my point of view.
Thanks Anne.