We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love Him – these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:6-10.

I loved this morning in our Friday Retreat the message from John Ortberg about How to Embrace Uncertainty. That growth requires not knowing the outcome. In John 11, we read about Mary and Martha after their brother died. They were certain that if Jesus had come, their brother would not have died. Why? Because Jesus was their dear friend and they knew the miracles He had done already. Jesus loved them and Lazarus. And yet, Jesus waited to come. Lazarus died. They didn’t understand. Isn’t that how we are when we go through troubles? Our world is rocked and we don’t know what to do with the unexpected. But all of life is unexpected. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11: 25-26. Jesus delayed because He loved Mary and Martha and He wanted the growth He knew they needed to go through. He knew they could walk through this. They didn’t until they did. They were led to a deeper faith. Was it painful, yes. Was it needed, Yes!

Right after that I read our chapter, Isaiah 66, the final chapter of Isaiah. Some of it I understand and rejoice in. Some of it I don’t understand and shy away from. There are passages in the inspired word of God that are hard and unexpected. And just as in our need to go through uncertainty in this life we live, we need to walk through uncertainty in understanding God’s truth so we can come out the other side of confusion and trust Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house you will build for Me? Where will My resting place be? Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me.” v. 1-4. That breaks my heart…For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. We each of us go through life with certainties of what will be because we plan them. But are we prepared for the unexpected uncertainties we cannot control or understand? Where do we go when we can’t provide the answers we desperately need? “Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” v. 9, 12-13. Do we know what God will do? Do we seek understanding remembering what He has said? What hard things does God know we need to go through that will bring us to that point that it is God we trust and not ourselves? When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants, but His fury will be shown to His foes. See, the Lord is coming with fire, and His chariots are like a whirlwind; He will bring down His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with His sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord…And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see My glory. v. 14-16, 18. And the hard bits? “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the Lord. “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” v. 22-24.

The raising of Jesus’s friend, Lazarus, was like a mini-resurrection showing us what will be. Our minds can’t conceive of that time fully. Mary and Martha were unprepared for that miracle. How could they have known? Lazarus had been entombed for four days. That mattered not. Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40. These words and all words of Scripture were recorded for us because God never leaves us in the dark. He told us. So, when He calls, will we answer? When He speaks, will we listen? This life is filled with hard things that bring us to the brink of uncertainty. Will we let God walk with us through them and come out the other side stronger?