Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations ... to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:25-26a, 27

It was a good number of years ago that I found myself grabbing a quick lunch at a New York deli: corned beef and Swiss on rye with a dill pickle the size of a submarine torpedo. Nobody makes that sandwich like the delis of New York. At any rate, that's not important.

What is important is that the deli was located just a few yards away from an entrance to the subway system. Normally, or so I've been told, New York's subway system is a very reliable way to get around.

That was not the way it was on that day.

From my table I observed the constant stream of passengers going down the steps and an equally constant stream of people coming up the steps. It took me a while to realize the people I saw going down the stairs were also, a few minutes later, the same people who were coming up the stairs.

That's right. It was the same group of people. I soon found out why. As he passed my table, one fellow loudly complained about the trains not running. That's why I saw people going down the stairs and the same people, with angry faces, coming up the stairs.

It was only the next day that something, something relatively important, occurred to me.

I had not seen a single one of the angry, disappointed people give any kind of warning to the people who were going down the stairs to the subway. Nobody called out for all to hear: "The trains aren't running!" Now all of us have seen how people in New York can come together in the face of tragedy. After September 11, they made me proud to be living in the same country as they are, but on the day I'm talking about -- the day of the subway -- it was quite different.

On that day, the New Yorkers kept a secret, and that's a shame. Some things are too important to be kept a secret.

What kind of things?

How about the fact that we have a Lord who sent His Son into this world to offer His life as the ransom price to rescue lost and condemned humanity? That's something which needs to be shared.

How about the truth which says there is nothing you can do, no sin you can commit, no pain you have caused which is so great it cannot be conquered by the Savior's love? Millions of people need to be told this revealed truth, which ought never be a secret.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that I may keep secret those things which ought to be hidden and share those things which will save lost souls. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 24-27    Luke 23:1-25

To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"