Title: Unanswered Questions / Topic: Mysterious God

Today’s Reading: Genesis 49; Genesis 50; Psalm 8; Luke 20

Scripture: Luke 20:41-44
41 Then Jesus said to them, "How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:
"'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."' 44 David calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?"

Observation: Jesus poses a problem -- an apparent contradiction from the scriptures -- to the teachers and the people. No one knew the answer. And Jesus doesn't give the answer.

Application: Of course, now that we know "the rest of the story" about who Jesus is, we understand that it is not a contradiction at all, but is a part of the great mystery of the incarnation, that is, God "became flesh and dwelt among us."

But what I love about this passage is that Jesus, after being challenged with contrived trick questions, poses a truly deep mystery and is content to leave it hanging out there without an answer. Most of us want to have our theology and Biblical interpretation all neatly packaged in nice, orderly categories. We want to have a pat answer for everything. But I think that's bunk. I still have loads of scriptures that I don't fully understand and even some where it seems to me like God does the wrong thing! Now, don't worry about my theology. I know that the fault lies with me and not with the Bible. I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. But I acknowledge my own limitations in understanding it fully. And I think if Jesus is OK with leaving a little unexplained mystery, we should be too. I'm not sure I could believe in a God that I could fully explain.

Prayer: Lord, You are great beyond my understanding. I thank You that You give me the ability to grasp enough of You to feel like I know You and to love You. You are a great God. Help me to understand as much as I can, and to be growing in my knowledge of You. But may I also be OK with the facets of You that I won't understand until I enter into Your presence on the other side.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.