An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
As we grow up, we all have to make decisions about our lives. What car should I buy? Which person should I marry? Should I try to find a new job? Should I move to a new city?
Now, we know that God’s Word tells us all we need to know to be obedient servants to God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says so.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The Bible, however, does not tell us which job we should take or what kind of house to buy. But oh, how we often wish it would! How are we to know what God wants us to do if He won’t tell us?
When you come to these kinds of decisions, you might have a well-meaning friend who will come to you and say, “I was praying for you, and I have a word from the Lord for you. And He told me that you should…” and then they tell you.
Now, this might be very confusing. After all, you weren’t expecting God to send you word through a friend. And what if that friend is wrong?
But what if they’re right? you might worry. What if I ignore them? Am I ignoring the word of God?
Well, the first question we need to ask ourselves when we wish to know what God wants us to do is to ask whether we’re obeying God in this decision. After all, God has said in the Bible that His will is for us to obey Him. So if there’s an option in our choices that’s disobedient to God’s law, we know not to make that choice.
For example, if your friend wants you to hang out at the store with her, but you also know this friend likes to steal from stores, you already know it’s not a wise decision to hang out with her because God forbids stealing in the Bible. This makes your decision easy. You should say no.
But that’s an easy example. What about examples where both options seem obedient to God? What about the hard choices? For example, what if your parents give you the choice of playing basketball or soccer? Is it possible to be a faithful Christian playing both of those games? The answer is yes. Neither game requires you to sin to play it. So how do you know which one is God’s will for you to choose?
This is where we look back at our verse.
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
See that? God has revealed that His will is for us to follow the words of His law–He wants us to be obedient. But He also reveals that He has a secret will. And that secret will is…
Secret. It’s God’s, and God’s alone. God’s secret will.
Which means we don’t need to worry about it.
Does God know what He has planned for us in our lives? Absolutely. We learn that in Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God knew the plans He had for the Israelites in the Old Testament, and He knows the plans He has for us (because Christians are a part of God’s family.) But God does not always tell us what His plan for our lives is. He wants us to have faith that He is powerful and loving, and that He is always with us, guiding and guarding us even when we can’t see what He’s doing.
We don’t need to worry when someone tells us they have a “word from the Lord.” As well-meaning as these people might be, they don’t have God’s secret will to give you because God’s secret will is secret, and you don’t need to worry about it. Instead, trust that if you make a godly choice, doing your best to obey Scripture, He will make your paths straight, as we learn in Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
So when you have a choice to make, take a deep breath, make the best choice you can, and trust the Lord using the “revealed will” of God. For God’s “revealed will” is what He has told us in the Bible. It’s that simple! What God wants us to know about His plans, He has told us in Scripture. All other knowledge is His and His alone. And even when you can’t understand what’s going on, trust the Bible that you are loved.
Discussion Questions
1. What is the “secret will” of God?
2. Where should we go to learn what God wants us to know about His plans?
3. How can we make godly choices when we’re not sure what to do?
If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here: