"...The mystery which [has been] hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to His saints; to whom God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you the hope of glory…" (Colossians 1:26-28 - DARBY Translation)
Heavenly Father, we join with the apostle Peter in exclaiming, "Praise be to You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!"
"In [Your] great mercy [You have] given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for [us] who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Father, Your plans and purpose; Your timing are beyond the comprehension of mortals or even angelic beings. ("Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor" Isaiah 40:13)? You have revealed "the mystery hidden from ages and from generations," making known among the nations Your salvation through Christ (Colossians 1:26-28).
The apostle Peter wrote that "concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to [us], searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but [us], when they spoke of the things that have now been told [us] by those who have preached the gospel to [us] by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things (1 Peter 1:10-12).
Lord, how can we ever thank You? By Your great mercy You save us, by Your power You shield us, and by Your goodness and grace You store up an unfading inheritance for us. Open our minds to embrace Your mystery, our spirits to receive Your grace, and our hearts to wait with eagerness for the full revelation of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
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