I've been talking about growing in the Lord lately, trying to step back and really study what that means. Christians today aren't following a dead religion, born of a dead book, and focused on a dead Christ. He still lives, He still speaks, He still loves! How little do we recognize what a miracle that is! How often do we forget the God we are trying to know, and try to appease Him with ritualistic obedience? When we pray, we are speaking in the ear of God, who hears us like a friend, lover, or parent would. No need for formality and ceremony when sincerity is needed!
Something led me to re-read Psalm 139 this morning. It talks about how closely God studies us and knows us. Although human parents, siblings, friends, and spouses may know us so closely that they can almost always predict what we are about to say or do, God knows us better. He knows our thoughts (v. 2); He knows our words before we speak them (v. 4); He saw us before we were formed, before we were born (v. 15, 16); He knew all of our days before the first one began (v. 16). What's more, we cannot hide from Him or move so far away that He can't be with us (vs. 7-12). There is no person who could ever care about us this much. No one, not even the most doting mother or loving spouse, could ever love us this much!
God has invested so much time in getting to know us. He loves us to the point of preoccupation, and I don't mean that in a negative way. We are flattered when our boyfriend or girlfriend remembers our favorite ice cream or can read us so well that they can predict and respond to what we are about to ask. We should be flattered, rather, awed by a God who cares to know so much about each of us.
We should also return that love, to the best of our abilities. God knew we couldn't get to know Him as well as He knows us, because we are finite, so He did His best to make Himself known. He introduced Himself to us before we asked, and told us about Himself before we got curious. He's come more than half-way to meet us. How can we love Him back with the same passion?
I think we should mirror His actions toward us, and the feelings will come along with those gestures. When someone does something kind to you, and you reciprocate, an affection is formed. So it is with God. God reads and studies His book about us, and we should read and study the Bible, written about Him. God studies our thoughts and anticipates what we will think and do; similarly, we should seek to understand and anticipate what God is thinking, through what He has shown us about His view of the world, and right and wrong. God stays with us, wherever we are, and His hand is always upon us, and we should likewise follow where He told us He will be, and keep our hand firmly in His. It's not hard, and it's not "religious." It's a natural affection that grows imperceptibly, not willfully by the things we are doing but freely because of the things that we do.
Here is a video, by the group Downhere, that talks about rediscovering God and growing in your personal relationship with Him.
Those are my thoughts for today. Do you have other suggestions for getting to know God like He knows us? Leave me a comment!
Something led me to re-read Psalm 139 this morning. It talks about how closely God studies us and knows us. Although human parents, siblings, friends, and spouses may know us so closely that they can almost always predict what we are about to say or do, God knows us better. He knows our thoughts (v. 2); He knows our words before we speak them (v. 4); He saw us before we were formed, before we were born (v. 15, 16); He knew all of our days before the first one began (v. 16). What's more, we cannot hide from Him or move so far away that He can't be with us (vs. 7-12). There is no person who could ever care about us this much. No one, not even the most doting mother or loving spouse, could ever love us this much!
God has invested so much time in getting to know us. He loves us to the point of preoccupation, and I don't mean that in a negative way. We are flattered when our boyfriend or girlfriend remembers our favorite ice cream or can read us so well that they can predict and respond to what we are about to ask. We should be flattered, rather, awed by a God who cares to know so much about each of us.
We should also return that love, to the best of our abilities. God knew we couldn't get to know Him as well as He knows us, because we are finite, so He did His best to make Himself known. He introduced Himself to us before we asked, and told us about Himself before we got curious. He's come more than half-way to meet us. How can we love Him back with the same passion?
I think we should mirror His actions toward us, and the feelings will come along with those gestures. When someone does something kind to you, and you reciprocate, an affection is formed. So it is with God. God reads and studies His book about us, and we should read and study the Bible, written about Him. God studies our thoughts and anticipates what we will think and do; similarly, we should seek to understand and anticipate what God is thinking, through what He has shown us about His view of the world, and right and wrong. God stays with us, wherever we are, and His hand is always upon us, and we should likewise follow where He told us He will be, and keep our hand firmly in His. It's not hard, and it's not "religious." It's a natural affection that grows imperceptibly, not willfully by the things we are doing but freely because of the things that we do.
Here is a video, by the group Downhere, that talks about rediscovering God and growing in your personal relationship with Him.
Those are my thoughts for today. Do you have other suggestions for getting to know God like He knows us? Leave me a comment!
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