You Don't Know Me, Pt. 3

If you read yesterday's post, then you now know more ABOUT me.  But do you really know ME?  Or do you just know more information about me?

For those who have read my blog for any time at all, you know I'm going somewhere with this whole series.  It's not about me.  It's about truth.

Many, many people (millions is an estimate) know about God.  He is the Creator.  He is Almighty.  He is All-Knowing.  He is the Father of the universe.  He is loving.  He is righteous.  He is holy.  He is the provider of all mankind.  Okay.

But there are millions of people who say He is not the Creator, Almighty, All-Knowing, a father (or at least not a good one); that He is hateful, spiteful, judgmental, and could really care less about mankind.

There are people who think God is whoever you make Him.  But then, if that's true, He wouldn't really be God, would He?

So who's right?

I'm not going to tackle the issue of all the religions in the world, and how they view God.  Maybe another day (and definitely a much longer post!).  What I would like to address, though, is the notion that sitting in a church, or at some other type of religious gathering--even every Sunday--somehow makes a person an authority on who God is, His nature, and why He does what He does.  And what He would/should do in any given situation.

I just want you to stop and think about this:  If you have any type of relationship with any other person (spouse, child, sibling, parents, friend), and you spend one day a week with them--I mean really, really spending time with them--can you still say you are an authority on that person, their nature, and why they do what they do?  Or what they would/should do in any given situation?  I have been married for over 23 years.  I have known my husband since 1985. I'm pretty sure I know him better than any other person on this planet will ever know him.  But I could never say those things about him.  I know a lot about him, but there are still hidden mysteries to learn.  That's what makes marriage exciting!  Spending a lifetime getting to know each other!  That is what makes a good friendship exciting, too, isn't it?  Investing time and energy into another person's life, getting to know them better, and allowing them to get to know you?

And really, this is the point of the series of posts.  If we really and truly want to know God, we should spend our lifetime investing in that relationship.  Read your Bible?  Yes.  Go to church?  Yes.  Spend time in prayer?  Yes.  But oh, so much more.  Sometimes I get to know my husband best in the silences of life.  Just observing what he does, the way he does it, facial expressions, etc.  Sometimes, the best way to get closer to God is just to allow Him to speak in the silences.  Or to watch what He's doing, how He does it, and the effects of His actions.

There is more to this series.  For now, I encourage you to meditate on this verse:

"Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

Deuteronomy 7:9