nd mother in baptism suit. Had a great trip to Kentucky where my first Burwick grandson was baptised. Check out that spiked hair at 7 weeks old!Knowing and Enjoying God
My favorite dessert is Mississippi Mud Pie. The more I eat the more I desire – up to a point! This is a poor analogy for why I desire greater intimacy with God. But it is true, the closer the fellowship with Him, the more I desire – except there is no limit.
How do you and I enjoy deeper closeness with Abba PaPa? How is that accomplished? I’d be interested in your thoughts regarding the following. My Wednesday morning men’s group enlightened me this morning – helping me create a better balanced approach.
My view. I believe we learn ABOUT God through study of Scripture and books. Learning ABOUT God is enhanced by memorizing Scripture. However, I think the real KNOWING of God comes through adversity of some type. Pain. Loss. Confusion. Relational challenges. It is through those times that we take what we’ve learned about God, apply it to the adverse situation and a deeper connection with God ensues. Thus it seems that “NEED” is the prerequisite for knowing God more intimately.
My group concurred to a point. They said, “You’re missing something. That sounds like God is looking for ways to inflict pain to draw you closer.” The implication being that God is a sadist and I am a masochist. As Norweigans would say, “OOPHDA!” That’s not appropriate. They suggested that pleasure can be a motivation to know God more deeply. One referred to being on a mountain top during elk season and watching the splendor of a sunrise. “That creates in me a ‘want to’ rather than a ‘need to’ desire for God.”
As I revisit this study of “Knowing and Enjoying God”, I’d be interested in your feedback on these two questions: 1. Why pursue knowing and enjoying God; and, 2. How do you pursue knowing and enjoying God. Please send your thoughts, today if possible to rburwick@mindspring.com.
1 comment:
Gary Cottle says: I may be less esoteric than your higher plane. I seek to know God and interact with God:
1. I need to know appropriate things; I am curious and given my own way, I like Eve would eat from Knowledge of Good and Evil. I do not have godly judgment of what is appropriate for me without first knowing PaPa. Knowing Him is not only His ways but also His heart. He created with design, not only the whole of creation but also me. Despite the Age of Enlightenment and the paradigm of Reason, I do not aware of enough of His design of me to journey only in that purpose--I want to discover myself. Knowing Him and His heart puts me back in touch with His desires, His intent for me.
2. Knowing Him intimately is the only way to give reason to an otherwise chaotic, fallen world. I cannot discern enough of the true character of God by my own perception. Without His revealing Himself in relationship to Me, I cannot relate to the world around me. It is too damaged a place and unless I see His revealed purpose in and for it, I know not how to relate to what is around me. I cannot make sense out of the senseless without divine perspective.
3. I need Someone higher than myself to reference. The "lead me to a Rock higher than I" is not just an interesting word picture but also an imperative. I cannot see beyond myself unless I am lifted up to Him; I must be above the world, not in an ego trip but in a separation that sees from God's perspective. And I must love One who can do that, who can change my fallenness and elevate my perspective of reality to match His. This One is worthy of worship, of devotion, of my love, much more than the things around me that grasp for a hold on me.
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