The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever. Deuteronomy 29:29
Many people are confident that they know why God sends disasters. Some people in America would say it is because of abortion. Some would say it is because of America’s policy towards Israel. Some would even say that it is because of our NASA space initiatives!
We need to remember the difference between us and Micah: He was a prophet. God spoke to him directly. God enabled him to predict precisely what would happen: “The word of the Lord… came to Micah…” (Micah 1:1).
But we are not prophets, and “the secret things belong to the LORD” (Deut. 29:29). We don’t know the secret things, and here’s the problem: Claiming to know the secret things only detracts from our credibility when we try to speak about “the things that are revealed” by God in the Bible.
When you claim to know the reason for secret things like disasters, people will see that you are guessing based on your own prejudices. So, when you speak about the gospel, people will write it off, assuming that this is another guess that reflects your own prejudice too.
There is an impulse within us that wants to have a simple explanation for complex events. One day Jesus’ disciples asked Him: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:2-3).
We need great humility before the secret things and great confidence in the revealed things.
Which do you need more of today—humility with the secret things? Or confidence in the revealed things? You can ask the Lord for both!
