The Finding and Searching Loop of Joy
[21] And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? [22] For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” [24] And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. [25] For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Mark 4:21–25 ESV Read More
As soon as Jesus explains the Parable about the sower, the seeds, and the dirt, He leaps back into a barrage of parables again to explain more things. It’s almost as if Jesus wants to inspire us on the discovery adventure again as soon as we get something clearly explained to us!
Yes, that is exactly what is happening. Jesus is saying here that all of His teaching is like something hidden under the bed or made a secret, just so we can find it and show it off. Nobody cares about a straw cowboy had on a West Side Nut Clubber, but when you are at the Fall Festival and you see one of those hats on a gargoyle on the side of the building, everybody loves it.
Dallas Willard said that God put so much emphasis on seeking and Jesus teaches so much about seeking the Kingdom because a lot of our identity is wrapped up in what we spend our life seeking. Seeking understanding and wisdom is a journey that fills and fulfills a life when it is all about Christ.
Jesus is the lamp, the light of the world even, and He didn’t come to be hidden under a bed or a basket. Just because His teachings are unclear or hard sometimes doesn’t mean He doesn’t want us to figure it out. It is hidden just so that we can go about finding it, not so that it won’t be found.
As we are given the opportunity to seek the Lord, let’s take it! We have more time to sit and read, to talk to others about the scripture, and to pray, than any other civilization in history. The more you read and pray, the more God reveals to you that makes you want to spend more time reading, praying, and sharing with others about God’s greatness. It’s the best addiction snowball in the world and it was made to be shared with others.
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