Sometime We'll Understand

Sometime  We'll  Understand

                         "...What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter."  John  13:7

     With their limited spiritual horizons the disciples did not always understand what Jesus said and did.  Like the blind man of Bethsaida, their prophetic insight was as distorted as one who sees, "men as trees walking."  Later, at Pentecost, they were to receive a second touch of blessing which would illumine their minds to the meaning of many things.  Therefore in John  13:7 Jesus tells them not to become confused or bewildered by the perplexing events that were to transpire.  They were to proceed by faith, resting on the precious promise that "hereafter" they would comprehend His wise purposes.  So, today, Christ's acts of love to us are often misunderstood.  Yet His apparent "dark dealings" with us will certainly be explained in Heaven, for God knows what He is about.

     The late Dr. H. A. Ironside often told the story of a noted painter who had been commissioned to prepare a great, artistic mural. The artist erected a scaffold and proceeded to put the background of the picture on the wall.  A friend, coming to the studio, stood quietly at the rear of the room, for he saw the artist was preoccupied in slapping on the dark gray and the deep blue tones. Wishing to view his background preparation from a better perspective, the artist descended the ladder and moved toward the door with his eye still on the mural.  He was so intent that he backed right into his friend without even seeing him.  Enthusiastically he exclaimed,  "This is going to be the masterpiece of my life!  What do you think of it?  Isn't it grand?"  His friend replied,  "All that I see is a great, dull daub of paint."  Then said the artist,  "Oh, I forgot.  When you look at the mural you see only what is there; but when I look at it, I see what is going to be there - and that makes a lot of difference!"

     How wise the Christian who can smile through his tears - confident that he will joyously view the perfect design of his trials in God's tomorrow!