Hiding Gifts (A Word for Young Leaders...and Old)

by Wayne Cordeiro on January 18, 2022

Happy Tuesday! Today is January 18th, 2022. Today's lesson is about God's omniscient wisdom as He leads up and onward toward likeness. Like waiting for Christmas morning, sometimes parents have to hide their children's gifts because they know any child who sees a gift will want to open it long before Christmas morning! I wonder if God is like a wise and loving parent?
Read on …

Today's Reading:
Genesis 44,45,46; Luke 18

Scripture

“But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.” (Luke 18:34)

Observation

Jesus spoke to His disciples of the crucifixion, but when He said that He'd be scourged, killed, and on the third day, rise again, they couldn't understand. The reason was that "this saying was hidden from them."

God sometimes hides what He is about to do — It might be because:

  • We're not ready to receive it, or …
  • We're not mature enough or …
  • Maybe we would not be able to remain humble with the knowledge of what will occur. For example, in Genesis 18:17, God said of Abraham, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him, all the nations of the earth will be blessed?"

Again in Luke 9:45, we find, "But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so they would not perceive it." Their immaturity to receive truth was immediately expressed in the next verse when they begin to argue with one another about who was the greatest! (see Luke 9:46)

Application

God knows each of us intimately, and He knows how freeing truth is and yet how weighty knowledge can be. He knows our “frame that we are but dust.” He knows our faith level and maturity as to how much knowledge we can steward. This is why it is so important to trust God and be satisfied with how He is treating us during this season of our maturity. I often see young leaders get impatient because they think they are further along than they are. However, if what God had planned for them were delivered today, it would ruin them, compromise their marriage, or detain their future.  

This is why we must be faithful with the task He placed before us without complaining or comparing with others. And this is why I must keep growing deeper in the things of God; why I must grow in genuine righteousness. If I want God to reveal truth, knowledge, or prophetic things to me, I must first be worthy and mature enough to receive them! So, I will continue to extend my roots deeper every day. I will increase my maturity and hold myself accountable to His best without compromise.

Prayer

Dear Father, please continue to teach me of Your heart and ways. Grow me deeper every day. May I increase in my maturity in order to steward new truths You would reveal to me. Steadily increase my love for You and Your purposes till I fulfill Your assignment in me.

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