This post is Day 20 in a series of studies about “Mysteries and Secrets”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Mysteries and Secrets – Day 20

All of us can think of people who have prayed for a long time before receiving the answer to their pleading. For some the answer is No! That can be hard to bear, but eventually, circumstances help us to understand that God had a much bigger plan than we imagined.

Colossians 2:2

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The Thought

In the first verse of this chapter, Paul explains how he is contending for his readers in prayer. He makes it sound like a fight! And it can be! Often some of the things we pray for, are not going to be received very quickly or easily. There is an enemy that doesn’t want us to receive our answers. That’s what happened to Daniel, and there was a battle in the heavenlies between the archangel who was on his way to help and the prince of the Persian kingdom (Daniel 10:12-13). This archangel told Daniel that the battle was so fierce that another archangel Michael had to come and help in the fight. Daniel eventually understood the message.

There are many Bible passages that speak of answered prayers after much delay. We can think of stories we have read, about someone who was desperate for a son. Abraham (Genesis 15:2), Isaac (Genesis 25:21), Hannah who eventually gave birth to a prophet (1 Samuel 1).

All of us can think of people who have prayed for a long time before receiving the answer to their pleading. For some the answer is “No”! That can be hard to bear, but eventually circumstances help us to understand that God had a much bigger plan than we imagined.

Action

In the verse today we see that the mystery of God is clearly Christ, and Paul goes on to tell us that in Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Read Daniel 9 & 10 today and ask God to help you understand the need to persist in prayer for something important.

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