Isn’t knowledge a funny thing? In the beginning of this year, I knew that there was something wrong with my health, but I didn’t know what. This past week, I found out what. Then I found out what I needed to do in order to get healthy. And believe me, there is some knowledge you just don’t need to hear. I’m glad that I am finally aware of why I have been feeling like I have been, but I’m not happy knowing what I have to do in order to get healthy. The doctors say I need a by-pass and this means open heart surgery –not fun. I’ll be going under the knife on Tuesday. I am reminded of the times when I was little and got into trouble while my dad was at work. My mom would say, “Just wait until your father gets home, young man.” That was knowledge that I didn’t want to deal with. It would have been easier for me if she would have just silently taken note of my behavior and then when my father got home… well you know what happened next. Some knowledge is good to have, some is not. For instance, in this life, we will have tribulation, every single one of us. If this knowledge were given to us in our childhood, it probably would have worked against most of us. Think about it; what would you have felt if your parents would have informed you of the troubles of paying on a mortgage for most of the years of your adult life? What would you have felt if they had told you that having a good marriage took hard work? Or that you would have to work all of your life, at times not knowing if you would have a job the next day? Some knowledge is kept from us and it is actually a blessing that it is. For instance, no one knows the day or hour that Jesus is coming back and no one knows the day death knocks at your door. God has kept this knowledge from us, for if we had that knowledge it would harm us more than benefit us. God withholds that knowledge because of His love for us. Think about it; given our nature, if we knew the hour of our death, or the time of His return, we probably wouldn’t live as we do now. I must be honest with myself; because of the weakness of my flesh, I would probably try to get away with living for myself and my pleasure for as long as I could. If I knew that I was going to die on such and such a day, I would probably live like the devil up to the day before. God knows this is not good for me or anyone else who lives with me. Back to the tribulations in life, God knew that soon after childhood we would find out about the troubles that come with living. And so He also shared this knowledge with us: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” God knew that we would soon realize that we will die one day and so He told us that He is the Resurrection and the Life… and he who lives and believes on Him will never die. Now that’s knowledge I can deal with!