ADVENT ~ Day 10
Who can know the secret of God? Who is worthy or who does God trust with His secret? What kinds of people are chosen as God’s friends?
The word secret is synonymous with the word mystery. A mystery is something that is hidden, something that is not revealed to everyone. Often when someone has a secret, they only tell those whom they trust; their friends. Secrets are only shared with people who have proven their faithfulness and love to the one holding the secret. Some people want to know a secret only for the sake of knowing, or for the sake of feeling important, being entertained, or even to use the secret to mock or torment someone else. Obviously, none of these reasons are good reason to want to know or share a secret.
Sadly, I must admit that I’ve often wanted to know a secret for some of these reasons. I’ve wanted to know a secret because it made me feel like I was “in the loop”, which made me feel special, important ,and put me on a pedestal of sorts. There have been other times when I’ve wanted to know a secret because I was angry or hurt by someone and I wanted to use the secret to get revenge. I wanted my offender to know how it felt to be hurt. You know the old adage, "give them a taste of their own medicine.” The irony of that phrase is medicine is used to heal, not hurt. Isn’t it peculiar that we use this phrase the way we do? I wonder how often we take the things that God meant for good and twist it to use it for evil. If only we would just stop and think about things, for just, well, just a minute; I think we’d all soberly realize how truly wicked are the things we conceive in our hearts and minds.
If we, as fallible, wicked human beings desire for others to honor our secrets; to never use them to hurt us or ever tell anyone else we haven’t already approved, then how much more should God, who is infallible, good, perfect and holy expect us to honor His secret?
But what is the secret of God that we are supposed to honor and cherish?
“but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.”
~ Revelations 10:7
“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,”
~ Colossians 2:2
“Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”
~ Romans 16:25-27
The secret of God, according to His Word, is Jesus Christ our Lord, the only Savior for all mankind. No wonder the heavenly host sang and glorified God when the Lord and Master of our souls was born!
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!' ”
~ Luke 2:13-14
According to these Scripture passages, God only shares His secret, His friendship, His covenant with those in which He is pleased. And who are those He is pleased to share this awesome Gospel of salvation? The answer is found in Psalm 51:16-17.
Therefore if you are one of the chosen of God, whom He has granted the gift of repentance that leads to salvation, and have pleased God by obeying His command and have come to faith in His Son with a broken spirit; a broken and contrite (repentant) heart, then God has credited Christ’s righteousness to you, and you ought to:
“Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born!”
~ lyrics formally adapted and published by John W. Work, Jr. (1907)
We know that some secrets are better when they’re shared. And the Secret of God, which is salvation in Jesus Christ alone, is most definitely a secret that is better when shared -- with the entire world!
Thoughts to ponder:
Do I daily put on the helmet of salvation and meditate on the magnitude of the high cost of saving my soul? Can God trust me with His Secret, the Gospel message of His Son, Jesus? Will I tell it based on my opinion of who I think God is (soft and fluffy, like Santa Claus), or will I tell it based on God's holy word; because God is love, He must hate evil and punish it? And can God trust me to do all this with His compassion, grace and mercy and not with my judgment about others or fears of personal rejection?
Sovereign, holy and righteous Father God in Heaven, may all glory, praise and honor be given to Your name!
Help us to rid ourselves of ourselves. Help us to love others enough to testify to them and freely share why the Babe was born in Bethlehem. It isn't just a nice, warm and fuzzy story. It's the miraculous story and incomprehensible story of Your ultimate love, fully demonstrated in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus the Christ.
Oh Father God, forgive us for not being faithful friends of Your secret! Forgive us Lord for our laziness! Me in particular! What a wretched woman I am! Release me Lord God from my fears as well as my lackadaisical attitude regarding the Lost. Impress upon my heart, sear it on my mind Father, the truth of the torment they will suffer for all eternity without Your Son!
Oh that I might be a trustworthy servant Father! I thank You gracious Father God, for making me Your friend, for making peace with me through Your Son. I thank You Lord for trusting me with Your Gospel. When you return Jesus, may You be well pleased to find many who are faithful. Amen.
Help us to rid ourselves of ourselves. Help us to love others enough to testify to them and freely share why the Babe was born in Bethlehem. It isn't just a nice, warm and fuzzy story. It's the miraculous story and incomprehensible story of Your ultimate love, fully demonstrated in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus the Christ.
Oh Father God, forgive us for not being faithful friends of Your secret! Forgive us Lord for our laziness! Me in particular! What a wretched woman I am! Release me Lord God from my fears as well as my lackadaisical attitude regarding the Lost. Impress upon my heart, sear it on my mind Father, the truth of the torment they will suffer for all eternity without Your Son!
Oh that I might be a trustworthy servant Father! I thank You gracious Father God, for making me Your friend, for making peace with me through Your Son. I thank You Lord for trusting me with Your Gospel. When you return Jesus, may You be well pleased to find many who are faithful. Amen.
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