I love little verses that pack a punch. One such nugget is Deuteronomy 29:29.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

What are God’s secrets?

How can we even begin to know? But I would venture that the most pursued of all God’s secrets is knowledge of the future. Since ancient times, divining the events yet to come has equated power. This was occult knowledge, or secrets hidden from human sight. It involved magicians, astronomers, seers, prophets and shamans; all thieves trying to pilfer a glimpse of a time they did not own for the purpose of controlling the outcome for their benefit. Kingdoms rose and fell on the skill of its wise men.

In our western culture, we aren’t as ecumenical in our methods for divining the future. We scorn the dark arts as hokey-poky. Claiming our Christian roots, we detest the idea of crystal balls and fortune telling. Yet, many Christians tamper with the occult in a more sinister and pervasive way.

Worrying is poking around in the unknown.

What is worrying, but an attempt to answer our questions about the future (or something unknown) so that we can control its events? “What if my husband is cheating on me?” “How will I be able to cope if I fail this test?” “What will they think of me?” “[Insert your favorite anxiety here.]”

Worry is attempted theft.

This little verse makes it clear that if something is not revealed, it does not belong to us. Trying to take what is not ours, is stealing. Worrying about the unknown is forbidden. It is secret or occult (hidden) knowledge; off-limits.

God’s secrets are well-kept.

God is not keeping secrets FROM us, He is keeping secrets FOR us. It is to our benefit that we don’t know. When prodding about the unknown, we must be careful of THE LIE. “God isn’t telling you the complete truth. He is keeping something good from you. Why don’t you take it anyway?” A better woman than you are I fell for this deceit, so we must be humble enough to recognize it’s presence in our worry.

He has revealed much, but I’d rather have His secrets, thank you.

How often we despise His abundant, life-giving, forever gifts! The things revealed belong to us and to our children forever! Even if we spent our lifetime pouring over His Word, studying how to practice its truths and sharing our knowledge with others, we would still not tap the wealth of knowledge God HAS revealed about His reality. And that is just knowledge. God invites us to intimacy, “knowing” the eternal I AM.

Do you scorn what he has given, instead choosing to dabble in His occult property by worrying about what you do not know?

*Occult means knowledge of the hidden or secret.