“Discovery of the character of God. The quest is to discover nothing less than who God is. The reason I use the word discovery is because, in a manner of speaking, it’s a mystery.”

“A mystery? You’ve lost me again.”

The baron laughed lightly.

“The attributes of God’s being are both plainly visible and hidden from our earthly eyes at the same time. That’s why I call God’s character a mystery. There are mysteries in knowing God, just as Sabina and I are fond of talking about the mysteries in this garden of ours. Aren’t we, Sabina?”

“You help me see some new garden mystery almost every time we talk here, Papa.”

“There are millions and millions of clues, Matthew,” the baron added, “but most people never see them. That’s what walking down the pathway is all about: seeking the clues, learning to spot them, discovering how to see into and behind everything, learning to see into the hidden meanings of life and the universe—all to discover God’s presence in and through it all!

“It’s marvelous, Matthew, like no other life I can imagine. The quest to discover who God is never stops. The pathway has no pot of gold at its end where you someday find a single answer. The pathway goes forever, every step adding more and more to the discovery, adding more and more fullness to our capacity to recognize and know who God is and what his purpose is.”

A long silence followed. The baron had clearly given the young American many new things to ponder.

Herr von Dortmann rose after a few moments and stretched, then walked about the rose garden.

“Do you feel like a little exercise?” he said. “Can you hobble about, or would you rather stay here?”

“I have been sitting a long time.” Matthew rose as well. “I think I can make it around, if you go slow.”

“Fine, then let’s walk as we talk.”

So saying, the baron led the way out of the rose garden and began down the hill, choosing the most level paths, while Matthew and Sabina followed him.

27 A Father to Call Father

27

A Father to Call Father

They walked a good while before the baron resumed the discussion, chatting occasionally about this or that in the garden, both the baron and Sabina showing Matthew their favorite trees and shrubs and flowers and other plants.

At length he picked up the threads of their previous dialog.

“Would you like to know one of the first important discoveries there is about God?” asked the baron.

“Yes, sir,” replied Matthew.

“If you are in earnest about this pathway of discovering what God’s character is like, this is the beginning point, the foundation. I tell you, my boy, lay hold of this, and the discovery will be such an adventure that your life will never be the same again!