The Mystery and the Majesty

Good afternoon, my friends! I hope you are well this fine day. I am truly thankful for my wonderful friends who faithfully read and support this ministry.

Today I wish to discuss with you an issue of vast importance to your spiritual development and growth. It is vital that we recognize that God works in mysterious ways and that people are often used of God to do good things, even when they are totally unaware of it, and surprisingly, even when they fail to recognize that God is a part of anything they do.

For Christians, this comes as no surprise. We were taught from childhood that God uses people for various things, often without their knowledge. In the Bible there is a wonderful passage where Jesus describes the faithful when they get to heaven. The Christians, once they enter the heavenly realm, are told that they are welcome in that place prepared for them, for they had fed, clothed, visited, and helped Jesus himself as an outgrowth of their Christian faith.

But the faithful were shocked when they heard these words. They had no idea that they were anything special or had done anything so wonderful and helpful for Jesus. That is just how humble and self-effacing they were. And they asked, "Lord, when did we do any of these things?"

It was then Jesus said that "insofar as you have done these things for the very least of these my brethren (other people), you have done them for me." They 'fed the hungry, helped the poor, visited the sick and the imprisoned,' and went about doing good as a clear outgrowth of their Christian faith.

Christians are often unaware of just how vital their actions have been in showing other people how much they are loved and cared for.

This being true, it is also true that God uses unbelievers for His purposes as well.

The Bible presents many examples of this fact. The Pharaoh in Exodus who held the Hebrews in slavery was described as an instrument of God in bringing judgment to God's wayward people, and later, to be the stooge proving that God is much greater than any human authority. In like manner, Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus into the hands of His enemies, was described as the one who would be used to accomplish God's will in bringing about the scenario where God's only begotten Son would die on the Cross for the sins of the world.

But God is also using non-malevolent forces for His purposes.

In the follow-up film to 'The Da Vinci Code,' 'Angels and Demons,' the character played by Tom Hanks was an unbeliever who was indifferent if not antagonistic toward the Catholic Church. Yet, in the end, he wound up helping save the Vatican from sure destruction.

Unaware that he had done anything noteworthy, the Dean of the College of Cardinals told Hanks at the end that God has used him to save the church. Hanks protested, stating that he didn't think God had anything to do with it. The elderly Cardinal placed his hand on Hank's shoulder and said, "My son, of course He did."

These things only serve to remind us of the richness, the mystery, and the majesty of almighty God, who "moves and works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform."