Breath Prayer: MYSTERY
Lois
Hoogeveen
December 16, 2012
I enjoy a good mystery, whether reading a book or watching a
movie. I like the suspense of the unknown, the development of a plot as it
thickens and unfolds, feeling personal satisfaction when my prediction of the
outcome or verdict is correct as well as enjoying the “I didn’t see that coming” moment when the final moments take me by
surprise. As much as I like mystery in the fictional world, I am not a fan of
suspense in the real world. I would rather know what to expect in my life and
not be surprised by unforeseen circumstances.
Both birth and death have many elements of mystery, drama and suspense
with numerous unexpected, untimely, unpredictable and uncontrollable twists and
turns. No two births or deaths are exactly the same. There is mystery in the
survival of a newborn baby who enters the world too soon and too tiny. There is
mystery in the loss of a loved one who leaves this earth suddenly and
unexpectedly. There is mystery in a newborn taking that first breath. There is
mystery in a loved one who suffers intensely and yet lingers day after day,
week after week. There is mystery when a child’s physical and mental
development does not progress in sync.
There is mystery in the loss of a loved one’s memory and mental capacity while
his or her physical body remains strong and healthy.
We have been taught to take responsibility for our health. Thus
parents take their children in for well checks and adults go to doctors for
annual physicals. We bike, jog, walk on treadmills, work out on elliptical
machines and lift weights. We make healthy food choices. We take vitamins and
supplements. Even more important, we are responsible for our spiritual
physique. How diligent are we taking time in the Word and Prayer to improve our
spiritual health?
The story of each of our lives is being written by the Author of
life. Only the Creator and Sustainer of life knows the plot of each one of us
from beginning to end. We must always be ready for the end Why does He not
reveal the mystery, giving us a clue about the details of how long we will be
on earth? I believe this is His way of developing and deepening our trust in Him. We know the day will come
when life on earth will end. We might have forewarning, knowing when our
earthly life is almost over. It might be
an abrupt, unexpected ending. Unlike a novel we read, we do not know the length
of our story. We cannot progress through life as we do with a book or movie,
knowing when the mystery will soon conclude because there are only a few more
pages to turn or a few more minutes left until the end of the show. However,
those who believe in the Author and Redeemer of life do know how the story will ultimately end even
though we do not know the when the
end of life on earth will come.
Sometimes life feels like a slow-moving movie and we just wish the
end would come. Unlike a movie, we do not have a fast-forward button in life
that brings us to the end quicker because we want the drama to be done. Unlike
a book, we do not have the option to skip pages to get to the end of the story.
Neither do we have a rewind button. I wish we would have had more pages in the
story of my husband’s life – both during the chapters of health as well as
during the chapters of cancer. We never had a season of remission to rest and
regroup and better prepare for the imminent end. Sometimes I wish we could go
back a year or two, when we were both healthy and active and doing so much
together. Sometimes I wish we had talked more about certain things. Sometimes I
wish we had spent more time just being
together. Going back is not a choice God gives us. Now I must learn to live
each day with “can’t-put-it-down” anticipation of the plot God is unfolding in
this mysterious new way of living. Believing God has the mystery of my life
under His control takes faith in the “I AM” of my life. “I am
your Sustainer, I am your Provider, I am your Protector, I am your Friend, I am
Sovereign, I am Lord” connects every word, every sentence, every paragraph,
every page, every chapter of my story.
The story of the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ is
certainly in the mystery genre. There were and continue to be more questions
about how, why, when and so what than have ever been asked about
any other child who was born in this world. Jesus’ mother didn’t press God for
the details. She treasured the mystery of life, knowing that with life comes
death. While others were amazed at her child, Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke
2:19) Many of the details of Jesus’ life and death have been revealed to us.
Are we amazed at the mystery of God’s
love? Do we treasure how He impacts
our story? Do we trust God’s wisdom
and knowledge enough to follow Him even when we cannot trace His path for our
life?
God wrote the beginning and the end of each of our stories before
we were even born. He is the Director of our life. Our days are numbered. We
cannot fathom the mystery of how He knows every detail of our lives, what was,
what is and what is to come. One thing we know, as His child, is that in life
and in death, we belong to Him. Heidelberg Catechism #1: My only comfort in life and death is that I am not my own but belong to
my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the Author of every moment of my
life.
MYSTERY
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Job 11:7
Oh,
the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
his judgments, and his paths beyond
tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Romans
11:33-34
The
secret things belong to the Lord our
God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we
may follow all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29
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