God's Mysterious Plan

It is always fun to read a good mystery. A good writer can keep you intrigued for hours as they spin their tale and lead you down many roads. Just about the time you think you have the plot figured out, something happens that blows your whole theory. You just have to keep reading until you find out what happens at the end of the story. It is like going on a treasure hunt, looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Sometimes a story is well written until the very end and then it just sort of fizzles out. Very disappointing! It is like following a treasure map only to find that a few stones are buried in an old wooden box at the end. You feel a little cheated after having spent all of that time following a path that eventually led nowhere.

Life can be like a good mystery. Whether or not it is well lived, of course, is entirely up to us. What makes the journey far more interesting and assures that we won’t be disappointed at the end of our lives is to follow the path of gnosis—to walk the wisdom path. To be a Christian Gnostic means to follow the pursuit of wisdom by following the wisdom of Christ.

The Apostle Paul was a Christian Gnostic. His writings reveal many amazing secrets to living life to the fullest on the wisdom path. He states that it is possible to have complete confidence in understanding God’s mysterious plan (Colossians 2). Now this is a promise that is worth exploring. He goes on to say that Christ himself reveals God’s mysterious plan and that by studying His life the treasures of wisdom and knowledge will be revealed.

Learning to discover the treasures and wisdom found in the life of Christ is like exploring a good mystery—the story just gets better and better. If you want to understand how to live life well, the answers are there. If you want to understand how to treat people, study the relationship Christ had with all. If you want to see how Christ elevated the role of women in society and how He worked to restore equality among the sexes, just look at all of the women involved in public ministry. If you want to understand how to die well—look at the cross.

The best part of the Christ story is the ending—or rather the beginning. We don’t find the hero of the story languishing in a tomb, but find a risen, powerful Christ—a Victor in every sense of the word. The power that was purchased at the cross and resurrection are available to anyone who wants it. It is through the Christ power that we are empowered to live a path of beauty, wisdom, and wholeness.

It is the Christ power living within you, the secret part of God’s plan that allows you to share in His glory. The part Paul calls “secret” is the idea of an inner relationship with Christ. It is inviting the Spirit of Christ to live in your heart, mind, soul, and body. It is developing an inner sense and knowing and meeting with God instead of keeping God locked on the outside of your life. This is the “secret” of sharing the glory of Christ and of sharing in His power.

It is the treasure found at the end of the mystery. The secret is unlocked and made available to anyone who wants. The amazing and sad part is that many, of even professed Christians, never discover the secret of having God live within them. They never let God in. Christ can be just another interesting story and they set it down without actually discovering the true treasure contained within His life.

When you finally understand the truth of what is available to you through the indwelling Christ, life will never be the same. The path of gnosis will lead you on a continuing life journey that is more and more beautiful and intriguing. Christ becomes your inner companion. Everything you have ever heard about spiritual practice—study, prayer, meditation, and service—will come alive as they now have their focus with the Spirit being your personal teacher. The ending will never disappoint, as it is always a new beginning.