In my last blog, we discussed the mind-boggling assertion that God secured His creation before He created it. This is indeed a mystery and brings about so many questions! It also flies in the face of doctrines that so many of us have never questioned or searched out for ourselves. We’re going to delve into more mysteries so that we can know how He brings transformation into our lives as a result. And as the word “mystery” implies, we won’t be able to put everything in tidy little boxes. God is way too big!
We Can Rest in the Midst of Our Questions
We can delight and rest in the midst of questions because God delights in us. He made and chose us before Him in Love before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)!
Let’s go back to feast on John 1:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (v1- 5 NASB, emphasis added)
This series is about comprehending Christ, a mystery. The word “comprehend” is the Greek word, Katalambanō. It means: to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively): —apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take or diminish.
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines “to comprehend” as:
1: to grasp the nature, significance, or meaning of
2: to contain or hold within a total scope, significance, or amount
Let’s continue diving into this a little further.
Our Filtered Beliefs about Jesus
John 1:5 says that the darkness didn’t comprehend the Light of Christ (emphasis added).
What is meant by darkness other than lack of light? The Greek reveals that darkness in this scripture is a metaphor used to describe an ignorance of divine things. It’s associated with wickedness and the resultant misery in hell.
When we fail to grasp the nature, significance, and meaning of Christ or have a filtered or constricted scope of Christ and what He accomplished for the human race, we experience hellish wickedness and misery.
Is there any place in your life where you’re struggling with a filtered and constricted scope of Christ and what He accomplished for you?
An honest answer would probably be, “Heck, yea!”
NONE of us, including me, have totally got it! If we think we do, we need an arrogance overhaul!
So, given that we’re all in the same boat, Love didn’t leave us without remedy! He dove into the human condition, laying aside His divinity to save, heal, and deliver us in the here and now where we need it! He couldn’t help Himself – He is Love (1 John 4:8, 16, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
We Have Supernatural Help
Love loves the whole world!
But most importantly for you, Love is wild about YOU! So, in the place where you’re not comprehending Christ and your life/world has something wicked and miserable in it, you need help (and so do I)!
And there Holy Spirit is. He’s the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby (John 14:26). We all need what Holy Spirit brings! Holy Spirit’s job description and His delight is to help us comprehend the infinite!
Ephesians 3:16-21 says that God Himself strengthens us with might in our inner man so that we can grasp the full dimensions of Love and be filled with the fullness of Love Himself.
He supernaturally enlightens the eyes of our understanding (our imaginations get a supernatural upgrade) so that we can know the hope of His calling and the power we’re packing (Ephesians 1:17 – 21). And where we can’t even imagine, He goes far beyond our limited perspective (Ephesians 3:20).
He also gives us help.
We Have The Power of Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is one with Christ, was always with Christ and is in all of humanity, even if it’s hidden. He’s the one who reveals Christ to us, reveals Christ in us, and reveals us as one with Christ. Holy Spirit unveils the mind of Christ within us. Rightly interpreted scripture is life-giving and our non-negotiable plumb line, but if we approach it apart from the Spirit behind it, we can fall for the trap of knowing scripture but missing Jesus. This was the exact error the Jews made in Christ’s days on Earth (John 5:38-40).
There’s Transformational Glory Available to Us
Why am I sharing all of this with you? Because 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NKJV) says that there’s freedom wherever the Spirit of the Lord is. Holy Spirit helps us to gaze at Christ, increasingly comprehending Him. And this results in our own transformation!
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is so exciting and worth diving even further into. We will pick up right here in our next blog! See you there next week.
XO
Catherine
Wonderful, Catherine! Thanks so much for your continued encouragement!!!
Absolutely my pleasure – always wonderful to hear from you, Paul – appreciate you!
I enjoyed this read.
So very very glad – thanks for letting me know!