The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Colossians 1:9-10,
"We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..."
Paul expresses a concern that growth in the knowledge of God is currently taking place in the hearts and minds of believers he has yet to meet in Colossae. This growth in knowledge is important in the healthy spiritual life of all believers as it is connected with things like living a life "worthy of the Lord" and pleasing him, "bearing fruit in every good work", and "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience", 1:10-11. Important things. And, when it comes to thick-headed folks like me, there is a concern that we are growing in our knowledge of him today, here and now.
The writer of Hebrews speaks to the importance of this in Hebrews 5:11-6:3, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so."
Knowing God is the most rewarding thing anyone can do in this life. He who has come to know God is certainly blessed. And, no matter how well we might know God, there is so much more to know of him. Today I ask myself, how well do I know him? Am I doing all I can to know more of him? It will simply not do for me to sit on my hands and assume I know what I need to of him. If I think I know all I need to of God, it simply exposes my own lack of knowledge of him.
"We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..."
I note the concern Paul has for his readers, that they grow "in the knowledge of God." This brings to mind that, in the perspective of God's transcendence, we will grow in our knowledge of him throughout our lives here, and beyond into the next. We will never plumb the depths of a complete "knowledge of God." He is simply too big for us to be able to apprehend all there is to know of him. I am convinced his wisdom, his intellect, the passion of his emotions, his creativity, his love, his justice, all extend so far beyond us, we can learn of him for an eternity and still never plumb the full depth of all there could possibly be in knowing God.
I am also convinced that angels continue in an ongoing quest in their knowledge of God. They express it in their fascination with God's redemption of mankind. Peter says of them, as he considers the interest of the prophets in the circumstances and timing of the salvation God provides, "Even angels long to look into these things." 1 Peter 1:12. God is so big, so vast, so transcendent, we will forever be learning of him.
Paul expresses a concern that growth in the knowledge of God is currently taking place in the hearts and minds of believers he has yet to meet in Colossae. This growth in knowledge is important in the healthy spiritual life of all believers as it is connected with things like living a life "worthy of the Lord" and pleasing him, "bearing fruit in every good work", and "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience", 1:10-11. Important things. And, when it comes to thick-headed folks like me, there is a concern that we are growing in our knowledge of him today, here and now.
The writer of Hebrews speaks to the importance of this in Hebrews 5:11-6:3, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so."
Knowing God is the most rewarding thing anyone can do in this life. He who has come to know God is certainly blessed. And, no matter how well we might know God, there is so much more to know of him. Today I ask myself, how well do I know him? Am I doing all I can to know more of him? It will simply not do for me to sit on my hands and assume I know what I need to of him. If I think I know all I need to of God, it simply exposes my own lack of knowledge of him.
We all have 168 hours this week. We will be spending each and every one of those hours doing something. Why not invest a few of them in something that will bring more than the greatest reward that could possibly be expected? Time spent in the Scriptures will certainly add to our knowledge of God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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