Securing the Truth
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 nasbu
Let's take a walk in the woods. The leaves are falling, the scrub and brush around our feet are drying and beginning to thin out. The scene is less pretty than during the green and fertile days of summer, but it is becoming more accessible to us. We can move through the trees unhindered by tall and groping weeds, and leaf-laden branches that block our way. The number of droning flies and mosquitoes, so bothersome and distracting during the summer, is thinning. The air is sweet with leaf dust, and the light jacket feels good on our arms. There, just up ahead, a squirrel busily stores away his acorns for winter. Cheeks bulging from the nuts, he scurries about, scratching and sniffing the ground through the carpet of freshly fallen leaves. Finally pleased with whatever mysterious qualities he has discerned, the squirrel digs and tugs and creates a small hole into which he drops one, maybe two, acorns. Quickly he covers over the cache, then moves on in search of the next. He will repeat this routine day after day, week after week, until the snow comes, hiding away for safekeeping the precious food that will keep him alive over the winter and into the next spring. And when it becomes necessary to harvest his secreted bounty, with his mysterious radar the squirrel will remember the precise location of every nut stored.Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 nasbu
It would be a very stupid squirrel indeed who awoke one bright snow-covered morning to say, "Hey! I'm hungry. What am I going to eat?" And it is a foolish and shortsighted Christian who assumes that the veil remains in place, drawn down over him, who cries out in ignorance at the point of his need, "What do I do now?" One small acorn at a time, the squirrel methodically plans ahead, putting aside those things that will keep him alive through the cold winter. When the snow hits, he knows exactly where to go for food. The Lord has tucked away in each of our lives the Holy Spirit, who counsels, explains, comforts, and describes our God to us. The Spirit blows away the veil and, like a beacon searchlight, cuts through the smog of lies to light the way to the Father's truth. We know where to go for those things that will keep the liar at bay; we know the location of every acorn of truth--and when we sometimes forget, the Spirit reminds us where they've been buried. One small truth at a time, we keep the pathway clear, we keep our vision clean and focused. One step at a time, we fill our lives with God, so that nothing can ever again obscure His truth.For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10 nasbu