Nothing secret!

I have mixed feelings about the latest WikiLeaks!  On the one hand, it is my understanding that the lives of certain individuals may be at risk because of these disclosures, and this would certainly not be something for which I would wish.  It is also claimed that the reports of China 'cooling off' towards North Korea - a situation that might be of benefit to the persecuted disciples of Jesus in that country - might have a negative effect, and encourage the Chinese government to continue its support of the 'hermit nation'.  This, too, I would find to be very unfortunate.

On the other hand, in a culture in which various governments, including the U.S.of A. and the U.K. appear to wish to know everything that I say and do, why should I not know something of their 'private' thinking?

I was reminded of some words of Jesus: "The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.  Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!" (Luke 12:2-3; NLT).  Perhaps some of our senior politicians and diplomats - and even a member of the royal family! - ought to heed the advice of the King of kings!

I have also been reflecting on the relationship between time and eternity!!  My current conclusion (if that isn't an oxymoron!) is that while time is separate from eternity, it is encompassed by it; that eternity 'touches' time at every point.  It's a bit like a submarine, stationed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, half-way between the ocean bed, and its surface.  The submarine represents time - the bow being the beginning of time, and the stern, the end of time.  We can imagine the different points along the length of the submarine as being various points in time - past, present, and future (by the way, I believe that, using this illustration, we are very close to the stern of the vessel!).  The ocean, of course, represents eternity.  It is all around the the submarine, but is also touching it at every point.

So, what does that suggest?  It helps me to realise how close the Lord is to me - so close that I should almost be able to reach out and touch.  He is not a God Who is far off, but the very One in Whom "... we live, and move, and have our being." (see Acts 17:27-28).  It helps me to better understand those words in Heb.10:20 "By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place." (NLT).  The writer may be speaking of more than a symbolism of the Temple Veil, by emphasising the 'thin-ness' of the barrier between here and there!  I wonder is this why there are so many reports of saints of God who, at the moment of their physical death, can say with Stephen "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God's right hand!" (Acts 7:56).  It confirms my thinking of many years that, when we read in Genesis 5:24 that, "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.", it was as if, one morning, that dear Old Testament saint awoke, asked the Lord "Where are we going today?", and was told "You're coming to My place, Enoch.  Walk on through".  And Enoch simply stepped through that invisible barrier into glory.

It also reminds me that there is One Who knows, not only my every word and deed, but also my every thought!  Is this why Paul has so much to say about that aspect of my being?  "... letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Rom 8:6); "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:2); "... whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phil 4:8).


It's something worth keeping in mind!