God Delights in Concealing Things
by: Bruce Gordon
October 9, 2024
“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”
Growing up in Northern Ontario mean’t backyard hockey on the rink, my father made for us with lights and boards; Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday evenings with Foster Hewitt and watching my favourite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nobody in their right mind would ever cheer for the Canadiens.
It was the best of times, for a young hockey player in our Valley and life revolved around the six NHL teams. During those years in the early sixties, we aspiring players collected and traded the Topps and Parkhurst Player Cards. The mission was to collect a complete set of the players, which could be around 100, if my memory serves me right.
I do know that for about 3 or 4 years, I was able to collect the complete sets.
Beginning my career at the Accounting Firm and getting married to Denise, my mother took it upon herself to pack my things away and free up space, in their small country rancher. One box, that she especially put away were my hockey cards. She hid them so well, that she could not remember where they were. I never have been able to find them and before God took her home in 2011, I would remind her of what they were worth. She always smiled and responded, they were not as much as the investment she and Dad had in me. Could not win on that one.
I was given Proverbs 25:2, last month by a special friend. A translation says it this way: “God delights in concealing things”.
I have been reflecting on this verse, for I had never really noticed it. Whatever is God hiding, that he is delighting in and as one translation states, that brings Him glory?
In my thinking, I am sharing three with you, that are on my radar. Perhaps, God is opening the window a crack, to reveal a few things he is concealing and only enough to “whet my appetite”.
1) As I have mentioned in past devotionals, as we age, we go into liminal spaces, where we have never been before. They are because of health change, retirement, kids moving out (though they do come back at times) and now you are empty nesters, etc.
I call them rooms and I do have a perception of what is in this room, however, when I walk through the door, it is so different than I expected. It has been hidden from me and I sense God smiling and watching me as I stumble around, and He patiently reveals what He has been concealing from me.
I also sense Him saying, “Bruce, you have dragged in all this stuff, into a new liminal space, I have prepared for you, and it is weighing you down. Leave it in the corner, for how can I ever reveal what I have for you, with your arms and hands full and stuff falling off”.
2) Is it OK for me to ask God, to reveal one or two things He is concealing? I think so. I have been asking Him in these recent weeks to do exactly that. It does cause me some angst, for am I ready for this?
I need to trust Him, that He will only answer this, knowing what I can receive.
3) Oh, we do live in “thin space” where we at times sense the Divinity in special ways. The dimension where Jesus is, is so thin and so close; right there! That also means those whom God has taken through that veil are there as well.
I believe that God is taking great delight in His anticipation of what He has for us, just beyond that thin veil. I do know we so want to stay here. As my father-in-law said to Denise, her two sisters and Mom, days before God took him home, “I am not afraid to die. However, I do not want to leave you four and my grandchildren.” God knows this and relationships are the very foundation eternity is built on, it models the Trinity.
Yes, three pictures, I sense God is revealing to me and if I can be so bold, as to write these words, I believe He dwells with bated breath and passionate anticipation to reveal what He has waiting for each of us.
1 Corinthians 2:9 MSG puts it this way: “No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it – what God has arranged for those who love Him.”
Well…. my hockey cards may never show up. However, I do know, what is waiting for me, will show up and perhaps we all should fasten our seatbelts.
Worship: Way Maker
Prayer
Father of all hidden mysteries. Thank You for how focused You are on me and that You never give up on me. You have so much You want to reveal as I journey with You and at this moment, I sense I am in a new place where I can fear the unknown. I thought I knew what to expect, yet, I am finding it is so different. Abba Father, with all my being, I want to trust You. Yet, I must let things go, to release issues into Your waiting open hands. So, in Your good pleasure, reveal what You are concealing, so that I can go deeper in my walk with You and bring You honour and glory. I offer this prayer, knowing I am made for more.
Further Study
Proverbs 25:2, 1 Corinthians 2:9
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