Recently,
I was reading my Joni Eareckson Tada devotional before I went to sleep and
something she said really stuck with me.
When
reflecting about knowing Christ, Joni prayed, “Lord, I confess that I know more
about You than I really know You. I
don’t want to be that way. Never, never
do I want my knowledge of You to be an illusion. Help me to consider everything a loss
compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing You.”
When
I read that sentence, “I know more about You than I really know You”, it jumped
off the page. I felt like the Holy
Spirit was calling me to pay attention and ask, “Lord, do I know more about You
than know You?” As much as I hate to
admit it, I’m afraid that’s true.
Why
would I settle for knowing something about Christ, rather than spend the time getting
to know Him and have a deep and growing relationship?
In
some respects knowing something about God is easier than having a relationship. It’s black and white, it’s on a page. I can add to my growing list of truths what I
know about God. I can check off my box
I’ve read my Bible today or prayed. I
can fit it neatly in to my daily schedule.
But’s
it’s a whole different thing to spend time and get to know the Lord. It includes being vulnerable and honest about
my failings, fears, limitations and sin.
It’s taking a risk and waiting upon the Lord. Will He really do what He says He can
do? Will I trust God when He’s silent,
when His timing is different than my timing and when His plan looks a whole lot
different than my plan? I will be
disciplined and choose to take my every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ? Will I take the time to put on
the Armor of God each and every day?
Will I focus my mind when I’m reading the Bible and not be distracted
and let my mind wander? Will I seek
counsel from God’s Word rather than from the world, or from my heart which is
deceitfully wicked apart from the life changing work of Christ in me? Will I meditate on God’s Word and let it
convict, correct, encourage, strengthen and change me? Will I set aside the distractions of this
world…phones, computers, Facebook, Twitter and allow the silence to quiet my
heart and mind? Will I tune my ear to
hear the chastisement of the Holy Spirit?
Will I bend my knee and say, “Thy will be done.”?
Lord,
as we begin a new school year and study Your perfect, holy and inerrant Word, I
ask You to help me know You more. I want
to know the Bible well, so I can discern truth from error. But I also want to spend time getting to know You
more. May that time with You change who
I am and how I live each day. I want to
trust You more, I want to love You more and I want to unashamedly tell others
of the salvation and hope that I found in You Jesus.
6 comments:
Great post
Indeed God is calling us to go deeper, where nothing seems to satisfy us. He wants our roots to go deep so that when the drought comes we will remain rooted and grounded, we will not wither and die, you will not faint and give up as many Christians are today.
As we go deep in the word and prayer there comes an abiding, an overflowing. As we go deeper with Him we will begin to affect things around us and that is what God is looking for because a flood affects everything in its path
God is looking for people who would say my soul follows close behind you.
Hi Gi,
Thanks for your words of encouragement that are rooted in the truth of Scripture. Well said! May we be in lockstep as we follow the Lord.
Blessings to you in Christ!
Susan
very inspiring
Hi Denise,
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I'm so looking forward to the start of the fall Bible studies this year.
Such a good word Susan and one for esch of us to ponder. The snchor doesn't hold well I'm stormy times when are just going off knowledge about God .
Hi Wanda,
Always good to hear from you! Goodness you really gave a great illustration. Our anchor doesn't hold well in stormy seas when we are just going off our knowledge about God. So true...and a sobering reminder.
Since we've moved to Texas, we are a whole lot closer to you now. We were taking with a couple at church who recently vacationed in your state at some Tree House Hotels. I looked them up and they really fun and in beautiful areas.
If we go up there, I would love to meet you. My husband and I would love to take you to lunch or dinner. Please know if you are in Texas we would love to meet you here too!
Lord's blessings to you! Susan Wachtel
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