Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. (Matthew 11:25)
Revelation. This is the core of the gospel. Everything in the Christian life hinges on the revelation of the glory of God to human hearts and the change that occurs as a result. Intellect, willpower, education—none of these can equal what the Holy Spirit can accomplish as he reveals Jesus to us. The Bible and Christian history are filled with stories of men and women of every disposition who have done extraordinary things for the kingdom because they had come to see Jesus in a new way.
Revelation is a divine gift. We can’t attain it through human wisdom and knowledge alone. The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord enthroned, surrounded by angels proclaiming his holiness. At that moment, Isaiah realized that he was unfit even to stand in God’s presence. However, once God purified him, Isaiah spent the rest of his life preaching to the people and preparing the way of the Lord.
Similarly, Jesus chose Peter—an uneducated fisherman—to be the leader of his Church. Through a revelation from God, Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 16:16). After the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, Peter became a bold apostle, leading the Church through its turbulent first years. He inspired thousands of Jewish conversions and even opened the door for Gentiles to receive baptism. Peter was a simple, unschooled man, but he became a “rock,” someone Jesus could rely on through thick and thin. All it took was an open heart, divine revelation, and human perseverance.
As these examples show, God doesn’t give us revelation just so that we can have new spiritual insights. He shows us his love and opens our hearts to his truths so that we can share them with the people around us. Even the slightest nudge that we feel, if it helps bring people closer to God, is probably the Spirit revealing something to us and through us.
So don’t think revelation is beyond you. It’s nothing more than God giving you a glimpse into his life so that you can share it with others!
“Father, come and open my life to your word. I long to know you more so that I can advance your kingdom on earth.”
Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16; Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15
Daily Marriage Tip for July 16, 2014:
(Reader’s Tip) Marriage is until death do us part, not until we have a disagreement. Keep this in mind when you hit rough spots and work through them prayerfully and together.