Soon and Very Soon

Almost two weeks ago (12/22/13), the service at our church (Huron Hills Church, HHC) spoke straight to us. Our pastor, Ken White, spoke on "The Gift of Mystery" in Luke 2 of the Bible. The basic summary is that one of God's attributes is "mystery," and because God is infinite, around God there is infinite mystery. How beautiful!

There is the mystery of:

1) things we won't know (Deut 29:29)

2) things we don't know yet (Luke 2:12, 1 Pet 1:12)

3) the purpose of our lives (1 John 3:12)

4) things we know (example: the gospel of Christ, Eph. 6:19)

For more, check out Ken's sermon here!

In the past few months of our lives, we've been full of so many questions and wonder. We know God wants us to leave everything we know now and move to Japan, but there are so many questions: why? for what purpose? what good will it do? for what gain is this change? how will He use us? Yet there is so much beauty in this mystery. We long for the day when our eyes are opened to why He is moving us. Even if we don't understand it in this lifetime, we are excited to meet Him face to face and know all that He knows about how He weaved our lives for His purpose. We don't know why right now, but we know our Maker and truest love has chosen us and made a way for us to go. And the "why" matters. We could never ask God a dumb question or a question that He cannot answer, but we must obey even when we don't have all the answers to His mystery.

Among the worship songs sung that day was "Soon." 

When we sang the words "soon and very soon I'll be going to the place He has prepared for me," it felt like my heart was torn open and had grown 1,000 times it's normal size. To THE place He has prepared, not just A place. I was overcome with the thought that He has prepared the place for us, not only in Heaven, but here...NOW...in Japan. HE HAS THE PLACE FOR US. We belong to Him. It has not been easy to give up everything we know and the comforts of friends, family, language, culture. But if I follow exactly where He calls me, I WILL SEE HIS FACE in the mystery that He reveals to me along the way! "I will be with the ONE I love, with unveiled face I'll see Him!" When I see more of Him, "there my SOUL will be SATISFIED!" I will give up the known for the unknown if it means that for an instant God will show me more of Him by revealing more of His mystery to me. I will leave all that I know if my soul is satisfied, and "there my sin erased, my SHAME forgotten." All that I've been, all that I ever will be, He will erase my sin and shame in the face of our Creator if only I will follow Him.

When we sang this song, I wanted to run around screaming the goodness of God and I wanted to fall flat on my face in silence as if I couldn't get lower and I couldn't be any smaller. My soul wanted to jump out of my skin if only I could be closer to Him. It was as if everything that makes me human separated me from everything that makes Him God and I wanted to get rid of it all to get closer to Him. Everyone, I have to tell you how real, scary, wonderful, and BEAUTIFUL the MYSTERY OF GOD IS! He has a place for you! You are fearfully and wonderfully made for Him and His purpose (Psalm 139:14); His works are good, and we must praise Him for who HE IS no matter who we are, were, or are yet to become! If you're experiencing the pain of loneliness, sadness, uncertainty. If you're experiencing the greatest days of your life. If you've never felt lower in your life. If you have questions, if you have answers, if you are full of praise, and if you are full of lamenting, HE will SATISFY the deepest part of your soul!

We continued by singing the song "10,000 Reasons."

This is one of Ryan's favorite songs. He heard it for the first time at his church in Shanghai, Abundant Grace International Fellowship (AGIF) [check it out here], and loved hearing the church sing it together. When we sang it at HHC, it was a perfect extension of the feelings of mystery and questions on our hearts. Why are we going? What is happening? On the hard days, why are we doing this? WE HAVE INFINITE MORE THAN 10,000 REASONS! When the sun comes up, it's time to sing His praise again. "WHATEVER may pass and WHATEVER lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes!" We can rest assured that there is an answer to the questions of "why?" but we must bless the Lord and worship His holy name along the way. He's rich in love, slow to anger, His name is great, and His heart is kind. "For all His goodness we will keep on singing, 10,000 reasons for my heart to find" (learn the mystery of Him along the way). And "on that day when my strength is failing...still my soul will sing His praise unending!" We don't know why now, but we have infinite reasons to praise Him and say yes to His mysterious plan for us! We must let go of ourselves to draw closer to Him.

God is so good. Following Him can be the scariest thing at times. It doesn't always make the most sense in our human minds, but when He uncovers His mystery to us, nothing makes more sense than His perfect ways. 

For I know the plans I have for you, " says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Nothing makes more sense than His perfect plans when they are revealed to us.

He has big plans, even if we do not know what He is doing. And to be honest, sometimes that can be frustrating. But we can rest assured that He is not trying to confuse us: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..." (1 Cor. 14:33). I cannot wait to meet Him more deeply in the place He has prepared for us. In Japan, in Detroit, wherever He wants us to go, I want to meet Him there if only I can see a closer glimpse of His heart! "I WILL BE WITH THE ONE I LOVE, WITH UNVEILED FACE I'LL SEE HIM!" 

The mystery of God. What a gift!

Love,

Amy