To Know Him Better

"I pray for you constantly,

asking God,

the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to give you spiritual wisdom and insight

so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light

so that you can understand the confident hope he has given

to those he called--

his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand

the incredible greatness of God's power

for us who believe him.

This is the same mighty power that raised Christ

from the dead and seated him in the place of honor

at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.

Now he is far about any ruler or authority

or power or anything else--

not only in this world but also in the world to come."

Ephesians 1:16b-21 NLT

To be known and loved; that is the cry of every human heart.  We desire to enjoy intimacy with another in such a way that we are fully understood, yet completely accepted and embraced.  Knowing that we were created in the image of God, I can safely assume that this desire must originate with the Creator himself.  

He desires that we know Him, as well.  Not as a distant God who rules benevolently over us, but as an intimate Father who walks beside us, guiding and directing our paths in His ways, loving our silly quirks and enjoying the delight of our heart.  To be known and loved is the cry of every human that comes from the heart of God.

Enlightenment

I see things through the eyes of a sinful, jaded human who has been hurt, has fallen many times, and who suffers from many fears.  Consequently, I mostly see the product of sin all around me; noticing all the pain and suffering, dangerous pitfalls, and threats that loom.

When I ask God to open the eyes of my heart, as the worship song declares, I begin to come into the light.  It is then that I see the tender care of a mother for her autistic child instead of the unfairness of a disability that I used to notice, or the kindness of a stranger ministering to the outcast where I used to see only futility, or the power of God changing the heart of a loved one where all I once saw was stubborn insolence. 

As I learn more about God, I find that He opens the eyes of my heart to see with His eyes.

Riches

Treasures beyond compare.  The resources to buy anything I want.  Enough income to be able to splurge on luxuries.  The ability to go where I want, when I want.   Many people think of something like this when they see the word "riches."

God, however, has something far more valuable in mind when He uses the word "prosperity."  To Him, His people are His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6).  The fact that He loved me enough to send Jesus to die so that I can inherit His kingdom gives me hope and God pleasure (Colossians 1:12,19-20).

Remembering this wealth that God has bestowed upon me helps when I'm down in the trenches sweating it out.  What I have to look forward to far outweighs any suffering I can endure here on earth, and this gives me incentive to keep moving forward toward what I cannot see but know is there (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

As I learn more about God, I grow in the hope I have in the eternal heritage I can claim through Jesus Christ.

Power

I could hear the energy crackling and humming as it surged through the giant power lines raised high above the ground.  Walking under the enormous robot-like structures, I considered all the energy that was being delivered to thousands of people so they could run their appliances, heat their homes and burn their lights.  The amount of power located above my head was awe-inspiring.

This power, however, is nothing compared to the might of God.  Not only can He speak the world into existence (Genesis 1), part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22) and raise the dead to life (Luke 24:5-6), but He can also transform a heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26), mend a broken marriage (Psalm 34:18), and break the bonds of debt.

As I learn more about God, I realize the incomparable mighty strength He pours into my life.

Just as I want to be known and loved, God shares this desire even though He is in need of nothing.  As I walk with Him, getting to know Him better and growing in my love for Him, He opens the eyes of my heart, reminds me of the hope I have in Him, and provides a continuous flow of His incomparable power.  To know Him better is the cry of my heart!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can seek to know God with all of my heart.

When do I look at situations using my eyes instead of God's?

How does His strength make a difference in my life?  

Originally published on March 15, 2013

What it Means to Know the Lord

"'But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!

Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.

But he was jut and right in all his dealings.

That is why God blessed him.

He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,

and everything went well for him.

Isn't that what it means to know me?'

says the LORD."

Jeremiah 22:15-16 NLT

What does it mean to know the Lord?  To only seek my own blessing, build my own kingdom, trust Him to meet my own needs?  Or is there more?

What about the lost, those who have been duped into believing this life is all about running after worldly treasures even though they won't last?  Or those who are unknowingly looking in the wrong place for answers?  Or those who are oppressed by the enticing powers of evil in this dark world?

I have the Words of Life, the Good News that will set them free!  I know the goodness of God and the peace and liberty that comes when I enter His fold.  Isn't it His will that I generously share the enlightening message that the lost so desperately need?  To give the Living Water to the thirsty and the Bread of Life to the hungry (John 4:14, 6:35)?  What good is every blessing that comes down to me from God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ if I never share His Kingdom with others?

This is what it means to know the Lord.

The Way of Wisdom

"Wisdom has built her house;

she has set up its seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

She has sent out her servants, and she calls

from the highest point of the city,

'Let all who are simple come to my house!'

To those who have no sense she says,

'Come, eat my food

and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live;

walk in the way of insight."

Proverbs 9:1-6

There are so many voices calling out to me, luring me down varying paths promised to bring good things.  These messages sound beneficial at times, make sense, seem right.  How do I know if I'm on the right track?  Here is one way:

Correction.  It can be hard to hear.  I like to think I'm pretty smart, clever enough to choose the right way.  I'm not as good as I think, however.  I'm often off-base in my thinking, or what I cling to as truth is actually far from it, or the ways I've learned to cope with the ups and downs of life is not God's best for me.  How do I respond when a loving voice gently corrects me, showing me a better way, suggesting I might not have it right?

It's easy to be offended when I hear words of criticism, no matter how gentle.  Most people have been in the position of trying to offer words of advice or help someone else see the error of their ways and found themselves in the middle of a heated argument.  Heels are dug in, defenses raised, the nails come out and teeth are barred in preparation for a fight!  Then there are the rare times when the rebuke is received with thanks, and my words of suggestion are considered and treasured as vital to their growth.

Which category do I fall into?  Am I quick to defend my choices, refusing to even ponder the thought that I might be wrong?  Or do I gladly take direction from others, adopting a teachable spirit that believes there is always something new to learn?  The first is that of the foolish, the latter marks the wise (Proverbs 9:7-9).

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm willing to accept instruction with great joy.

Attitude toward God.  He's the big guy upstairs.  He won't mind if I indulge; He knows I can't resist.  What can God do to help me?  Even He can't change a woman like me; I'm beyond saving.  It's up to me to find the answers.  Who am I that God would help a little guy like me?

It's easy to develop a low view of God, not seeing Him as He really is.  As I go through life and hear varying messages, I'm often swayed into giving God less and less respect.  While He is above all things, sovereign over all creation, powerful enough to speak the world into existence yet gentle enough to direct the lives of even the smallest of sparrows, I often relegate Him to nothing more than an impotent Grandfatherly type, an observing-yet-uninvolved far-away Being (Matthew 10:29-31).  I fail to revere Him as Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver and Taker of life, the very Reason for my existence and the Center of all things.

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm learning to respect God in all of His glory (Proverbs 9:10a).

Knowledge of God.  I live in the age of information.  There is a surplus of data waiting for me to gather it, a plethora of facts to peruse, a bunch of trivia with which to amuse myself.  I could spend every spare moment collecting knowledge.  But how much time do I spend getting to know God?  While it's not my intention to lay a burden of guilt on my shoulders, my desire (or lack of it) to grow closer to God and gain understanding of His ways is a good indicator of which direction I'm heading in life.  

If I'm more concerned with learning how to stem global warming, invest money, plant a successful garden, or a million other worthwhile interests, yet rarely wonder about God, wanting to find out more about His infinite character, it's time to take pause.  If I've developed a hunger for God and His Word, looking forward to each moment I spend with Him as He teaches me more about His deep ways, I'm headed in the right direction.  May I ask God to open the eyes of my heart so I will see all the blessings that are mine in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:16-21) and desire to know more each day.

I'm on the right track, following the way of wisdom, if I'm seeking knowledge of God (Proverbs 9:10b).

It's sometimes hard to know if I'm headed in the right direction.  With all of the choices available to me, I just might be gullible enough to be swayed into taking the wrong path or hard-headed enough to stick to the one that leads away from God's best for me.  How do I know?  There are many signs, but if I'm willing to accept correction, learning to revere God, and hungry for more knowledge of God, chances are I'm headed in the way of life.  It's not popular to walk the way of wisdom, but the heavenly treasure I find there is worth every struggle.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can value godly wisdom above worldly knowledge. 

When do I seek to grow my intellect but fail to cultivate my knowledge of God?

How am I showing disrespect for God in the way I think of Him or refer to Him in conversation?