~Alex Wu
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41-42
And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. Luke 24:31
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures – Luke 24:45
While the disciples were still rejoicing, shouting “Hosanna” and praising God with a loud voice, Jesus wept and delivered a grim prophecy for the inhabitants of Jerusalem or Jews in general: the mystery of God’s salvation was now hidden from their eyes (Luke 19:42). The disciples were too slow to understand the meaning of Jesus’ prophecy at that moment, but within a week they started to feel the heat and eventually lost all hope after Jesus’ arrest and death. It is indeed one of the worst spiritual experiences to encounter God’s hidden plan. We all want our life to be predictable or at least be free of sudden disasters. When God is hidden, we not only have to face seriously unpleasant situations for some time, but do not receive any answers from God to know His intention. I have to admit that I encountered things that belong to this category in 2024. But towards the end of the year, by His mercy I received a revelation through the Gospel of Luke.
It is true that the truth has been hidden from most Jews for millennia, but for a selected few disciples, Jesus opened their eyes (Luke 24:31) and their minds (Luke 24:45) only days after He announced the prophecy. Therefore, as Jesus’ disciples, we have the privilege to see the hidden things and the wait is not too long! Let us keep our hope in Him who saved us and will continue to be with us through all situations. Hallelujah!
God’s grace is indeed far more than the simple revelation of His hidden truth. The Greek word: dianoigo for “open” in most translations actually means “break open”, which was delivered through God’s mighty power. Hence, when the mist of the hidden starts to dissipate, power comes and His reward comes upon those who patiently waited for Him. I have seen exactly this kind of power that shattered many obstacles placed by the enemy in my life by the end of 2024. Since the word has been released, the power of dianoigo will be carried into the new year for all of us!
Father, we thank you that the period of being hidden is short and Your return is powerful. You have removed all our doubt and anxiety through Your word and Your act. May Your power of breaking open touch every one of us who long for experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit. Let the new year bring us more of Your presence and wonder! In Jesus’ name, Amen.