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A Startling Admission

Daily Reflection / Produced by The High Calling
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“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”

Mark 13:32

Mark 13:32 is one of the most shocking verses in all of Scripture. At least it shocked me when, as a young man, I first read it. I had grown up in a Christian community that held Jesus in the highest esteem. We believed that he was “fully divine.” The “fully human” part of classic Christian belief often was relegated to the fine print. Jesus, as the Son of God, had all of the attributes of God. Therefore he was omniscient. He knew everything, or so we believed.

Mark 13:32 upset my theological apple cart. In this verse, Jesus said that “no one knows the day or hour” when the end time events will occur, not even “the Son himself.” “Only the Father knows” these things, Jesus explained. Jesus could not have been clearer in saying that he himself did not know exactly when the end would come, though he knew many of the associated signs.

At first I was deeply troubled by Jesus’ startling admission that he did not know the exact timetable for the end times. How could this be possible for the Son of God? Yet, as I thought and prayed, as I studied and reflected, I came to understand that Jesus was not just “fully God,” but also “fully human.” In the mystery of the Incarnation, the Son of God, who was fully God, gave up certain benefits, including omniscience. There were things that Jesus, the God-man, did not know, even important things like the timing of his own return.

The more I have considered the miracle of the Incarnation and the fact that the Son of God accepted human limitations, the more I am blown away with gratitude. God didn’t just pretend to be human, but became truly and fully human in Jesus … and all of this for us and our salvation. Moreover, because Jesus became like us “in every respect” (Heb. 2:17), he understands us in a profound way. He knows what it’s like to be human, and is thus able to help us as we experience the challenges of human life (Heb. 2:18).

Thus, what once shocked and unsettled me about Jesus now gives me great encouragement and comfort. It calls me to my knees in humble praise and fervent gratitude! How amazing is the love of God for me … and you!

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How have you thought about the nature of Jesus as fully divine and fully human? Have you tended to emphasize one nature and minimize the other? How do you respond to Jesus’ admission that he did not know exactly when the end times would occur?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, as you know, I was once unsettled by Mark 13:32. I couldn’t understand how you could not know something, especially something so important as the time of your return. This seemed to be contradictory to your divine nature. I didn’t get it and didn’t like it.

Thank you, dear Lord, for your patience in revealing yourself to me more clearly. Thanks for your Word, which reveals you as fully God and fully human. This is a mystery I will never completely understand, but it is a wonder of your grace and brings me to my knees before you.

How grateful I am that you know what it’s like to be limited, that you know what it’s like not to know things you might like to know. How grateful I am that your humanity was not a costume covering your divinity, but a genuine entering in to our experience. Thank you, dear Lord, for understanding me at a depth I once denied.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, fully divine and fully human, what a wonder you are! Hallelujah! Amen.

Helping Employees Fulfill Their Dreams

The TV show Undercover Boss gives employers a unique opportunity to spend a few days in their employees' shoes. CEOs and Presidents of large and successful companies go undercover and do the work of people who work on the front line every day. Through this experience, the employer often gets the chance to hear the dreams of their employees firsthand. Hearing the hopes and dreams those employees have for their families, their futures, and themselves often becomes the catalyst for the employer to help make those dreams come true.

Not every employer gets a chance to spend a day in an employee's shoes, but each employer/employee relationship is worthy of faithful and compassionate stewardship. Every interaction is an opportunity to lead from the soul. In this series, Helping Employees Fulfill Their Dreams, we'll explore what it means to lead from the soul in our relationships with our employees, even if we never make it on a television reality show.

Featured image above by Helgi Halldórsson. Used with Permission. Via Flickr.

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