Unfolding Wonder
“Christ is the unsearchable sky above us—known intimately, yet always unfolding.”
John 16:13–14 — “He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.”
Today’s reading from In Christ reflects on something most Christians sense but rarely know how to put into words: that Jesus is both the final revelation of God and, at the same time, the ever-unfolding Word we’ll never fully comprehend. E. Stanley Jones affirms that the Incarnation—God becoming man in Christ—is once for all time, never to be repeated. Jesus is the final Word, the fulfillment after centuries of prophets. But His meaning isn’t something to be boxed up and labeled. His person and purpose continue to unfold by the Spirit.
Jesus Himself said this to His disciples—He had more to say, but they couldn’t bear it at the time. So He promised the Spirit would come, not to deliver a different message, but to take what belonged to Jesus and make it known. That’s not a new Christ; it’s a deepening understanding of the same Christ. The Word of God is “fixed”—unchanging in essence—but also “dynamic”—unfolding in understanding.
Jones warns us not to confuse our understanding of Christ with Christ Himself. Sometimes we get caught clinging to tidy theological phrases as if they are the Word. But Jesus always surpasses our definitions. Paul called Him the “unspeakable gift” for a reason—we can’t capture Him in a sentence or system. In the end, the only proper posture is worship. This unfolding Word calls for wonder, not control. He is knowable, yet always surprising. The Spirit leads us deeper into Christ—not away from Him, but into fresh encounters with the same risen Lord.
Personalized Journal Entry — In the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
I have revealed the fullness of God in Christ, and in Him, you have received everything needed for life and godliness. The Word became flesh and dwelled among you, and now that same Word lives in you. The Incarnation was once for all, but My unveiling of Him in your heart is continual.
You have not been left to figure this out on your own. I guide you into all truth, declaring to you what belongs to Jesus. I glorify Him by unfolding His nature, His love, His authority—layer by layer, grace upon grace. The mystery that was hidden for ages is now made known—Christ in you, the hope of glory.
But My revelation is not a system; it is a Person. And this Person cannot be fully defined or confined. No creed can contain His fullness. No words can capture the entire scope of who He is. The Word is living and active—He walks where He pleases.
You are not chasing after new truth, but awakening to the truth already given. You walk in step with Me as I shine light on what has always been true in Christ. The gospel is not changing; your heart is simply expanding to hold more of its wonder.
You see through a glass dimly now, but one day you will see Him face to face. For now, you behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, and are being transformed from one degree of glory to another. You do not arrive; you abide. And as you abide, I make Him known.
(2 Peter 1:3, John 1:14, John 16:13–14, Colossians 1:26–27, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are more than I can grasp and more than I can express—and that fills my heart with joy. I rest in the truth that I already have You, but I marvel that You continue to unfold Yourself in me through Your Spirit.
You are not a subject to be mastered but a Savior to be adored. You’ve made Your home in me, and each day You reveal another layer of Your love, another glimpse of Your glory, another taste of Your grace.
I trust that as I walk with You, the Spirit will lead me into all truth—not new truth, but deeper knowing of the One who is Truth. And that is enough for today.
Amen.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
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