What is the big picture? What is the mystery? It is that in due time, everything in Heaven and earth will be gathered together in Christ, around Christ, and for Christ.

Benjamin, my seven-year-old and I went to Pappy’s for a pepperoni pizza. ‘This is the kind of pizza the Ninja Turtles eat,’ Ben declared. ‘They like it so much, they even steal it.’

‘They do?’ I said. ‘Well, that reminds me of a story ...’

And I proceeded to tell Ben the sad story of how Achan stole from Jericho (Joshua 7). When I finished, Benny understood that stealing leads to problems and pain. And suddenly, sitting down over a pizza at Pappy’s had meaning and substance and depth in a way it wouldn’t have had the moment not been brought together in Christ, talking about the things of the Lord.

Oh, you’ve found this to be true. Whether it’s talking to your kids or planting flowers in your garden, listening to a co-worker or practicing with a teammate — whenever you’re focused on Christ and bringing the moment under the authority of Christ, you’re right in the middle of the flow of what God says life is all about.

Isn’t God gracious to make His will known to us? After all, He could have said, ‘There’s a mystery to life. Figure it out. Good luck.’ But He didn’t. I’m so thankful I can live wisely and prudently because He’s made known to me the mystery of His will: that everything is in Christ and for Christ.

Are you full of joy tonight? Are you at peace? Are you content? Do you have rest? If so, you understand the mystery of His will. Are you bitter, angry, frustrated, or upset? Then you don’t. On any given day, the extent to which you understand the mystery of His will will be the extent to which peace reigns in your heart.

Whenever I am uptight or pressured, I know it’s because I’ve chosen not to remember that everything is flowing to the glorious day when it will all be gathered together in Christ.