Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." (John 13:7, NIV)
What a lovely moment in Scripture! When Jesus begins to wash His disciples feet. Peter is quick to protest. Jesus responds with “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a strong need to understand things. I like to have the “how and why” questions answered. The past few years seem to have no answers for me, though. I question my doctor, “Why am I not responding the way you thought I would?” “Are you sure this new med will work?” “Will I ever be able to work again?”
He has no answers for me. He can say, “We will try this and see what happens.” Yet, he does not know. He can make an educated guess – but that is all it is – a guess.
As a mom and g’mom raising kids, there have been times when I knew they could not understand the reasons for some of my decisions. Sometimes my response has been, “You will understand when you are older,” knowing they were not truly able to understand given their limited life experiences. They might guess at the reason why, but that is all it usually is – a guess.
Sometimes, understanding only comes with time.
I view God that way. He knows why and how my puzzle of a life is the way it is, but for whatever reason, I am not ready to know those why’s and how’s. Yet the promise remains “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
What a blessing to have a Savior who DOES know. He knows exactly where I am at, what I am going through, and why. And no, I may not understand now – but there is the assurance that one day – I will understand.
When Jesus makes that comforting statement to Peter, I believe He is also reassuring us. One day, He promises, we will understand.
Father God, I pray that today we can immerse ourselves in the comfort of your promises that one day, we will understand the things we have been longing to understand. Grant us hope. Grant us endurance. Grant us the ability to continue to look to you during the times that so deeply try us, when we cry out “Lord! I don’t understand!” knowing that one day all our questions will be answered in full. Amen and Amen. So be it, Lord!