Why is This Here?

I’m not sure about you, but laying in bed is a great time to contemplate anything and everything. It’s when I decide I can solve all the world’s problems. It also seems to be a time I think about things in life that just don’t make sense. You know what I’m talking about. The things we see, do, or encounter that have no explanation. And then that great and mighty question arises: Why?!

One of my favorite ‘why’ questions is this, “Why is this here?!” I say that a lot, especially when I read the Bible. Here is one of my favorite ‘why’ passages:

“Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.”
Mark 14:51-52 NKJV

Why is this here?! What is it’s purpose? To all my pastor friends, how do you preach on this and what is the application for life?!

I have looked at a lot of commentary on this passage. I have seen a lot of assumptions. The only thing that we know for certain is that it left an impression on Mark (or rather Peter, as this is likely his gospel perspective)!

Here is the reality: there are some things that don’t need an explanation. (And now you’re saying, “why not?!”)

It used to bother me that I didn’t understand everything. I have that type of personality. I want to figure it out. But God is not one that can be figured out so easily. The apostle Paul calls it a ‘mystery.’ In regards to Sodom and Gomorrah God said, “should we let Abraham in on this?”

This list of passages in scripture and experiences in life could go on. I, for one, am thankful that I serve a God whose ways are greater and thoughts are higher! If I could figure out everything about God, what kind of a God would I be serving?!

Be thankful that He knows how to keep your lungs working when you don’t. That your heart beats because He designed it that way. Thank God that He wakes you up every morning, and that at some point you will fall asleep tonight (hopefully sooner rather than later!).

Lastly, be thankful that He sent His son Jesus to save us when we could not save ourselves. Maybe some of you tonight should be asking what the jailer in Acts asked the apostle Paul, “what must I do to be saved?!” And God did not hide his answer from us! Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved!

Until we arrive in heaven to get all our questions answered, think about that! Because that is something to be thankful for!