Made to discover!

What is your favorite thing to do? What brings you excitement and joy? One of my absolute favorite things to do is to go site-seeing. Whether traveling afar or taking a day trip, I love the adventure of discovering something or someplace new. There's just something about wondering what is around the next bend, what unique items I may find in that little shop, or what amazing food I may find on the menu of a newly discovered cafe or restaurant.

Did you know that you were created to be a discoverer? You were meant to have a sense of wonder! I was just reading Matthew 13 about the parable of the sower. The disciples asked Jesus "why do you always speak people in these hard to understand parables? - verse 10. Jesus answered "You've been given the intimate experience of insight into the realm of Heaven's kingdom but they have not. For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation until he has more than enough. But those who don't listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. That's why I teach with parables because they think they're looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it!..." 11-13.

The definition of the word discover is to find something either unexpectedly or in the course of a search. It also means to make known or visible. It is interesting that within the word discover, is the word cover. There are truths or mysteries that have always been there, covered, hidden, and waiting to be discovered. I remember when Natalie and Kaleb (now teenagers) were very small. Everything was all about discovery. When she was only about a year old Natalie had a favorite game. We called it the "this and that" game. I would carry her around on my hip and she would point to random things in the room and say "this?" or "that?" I would tell her what it was, let her touch it, or smell it if it was something scented and all wide-eyed she would smile the biggest smile. The things I showed her had always been there but Natalie had just discovered them. I will never forget the look of wonder on her little face. It is a precious memory forever etched on my heart.

So often as we get older we lose our sense of wonder but the Lord wants us to be like little children in our sense of discovery of all that He is and all that is within His kingdom. In fact, I believe one of the Lord's favorite games is hide-and-go-seek. He hides a thing and we are to go seek it out. Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out. The Passion Translation says it this way: God conceals revelation of His word in the hiding place of his glory. But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning in all that God says."

Right now we are in a season of great warfare and we can so easily become discouraged. We must remember that God has a plan even when we cannot see. Even in the midst of great conflict can we find time to seek and discover what is in the hiding place of God's glory? Right now I am in a season of transition in my own life. A suddenly came upon me and now the very landscape of my world has forever changed. How I decide to see my circumstances will affect the outcome. I fully believe that. If I allow myself to dwell on thoughts of discouragement and defeat the outcome won't be very good. I will likely get what I expect. When the surprise comes and when the unthinkable happens will we dare to launch out into the unknown fully trusting in the Lord to carry us? Can we become like a child full of wonder and expectation of the discovery of what is around the next corner? Can we trust even when we cannot see?

Remember that we have been given intimate insight into the realm of Heaven's kingdom. What are you going to discover there? Do you dare seek? Do you dare ask? Do you dare trust? Further on in chapter 13 of Matthew verse 36 says I will speak to you in allegories. I will reveal secrets that have been concealed since the foundation of the world". Take some time and dwell on those words for a few moments. Let them really sink in. The creator of the universe wants to reveal secrets to you that have been concealed since the foundation of the world. Can you imagine that?

The Key is in Psalm 25:14: There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises. The key is loving the Lord and drawing near to Him. We need to draw close. Moses was known as a friend of God. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Exodus 33:11. Friends spend time with one another. Friends listen to each other's hearts. Have you asked the Lord what is on His heart? He wants to show you. It's not about what you can do for Him. It's all about enjoying Him and listening with an open and teachable heart. He has amazing things that He wants to share with you and so many things that He wants to show you, things that have been there all along but have yet to be discovered! Selah!