Come and Returnনমুনা

Day 1: Error for Not Knowing

Where I grew up, there was a time when someone offered to go with you somewhere because they knew the way. So many kind people, especially those far from big cities, would take their bicycles and lead the strangers riding cars to places because they knew the “route” to get to their destination. Today, with GPS and autonomous cars, we don't need to pay much attention to the road because technology drives us. We don't exercise our minds for that anymore.

But that person who knows the direction, who knows how to take the first right after a certain corner or turn left to follow the quickest shortcut, has personal knowledge from experience. This person may have started by hearing about the signs, turns, and bridges, but when they know the direction, they know it because they have been there.

It is not technical knowledge, like GPS, but comprehensive, involving all the senses. This person knows the way through objects, colors, sounds, the people on the corner, and even the smell of the places. They know it from having experienced it.

Knowing God goes beyond intellect and following rules. God is a person who, to know, one must walk with. From Genesis to Revelation, God inspired the scriptures to record how He thinks, acts, what pleases Him, what is important to Him, and what He has planned.

Hosea clearly explains why God's people err—they lack knowledge. The Hebrew word he uses for “knowledge” is constructed from the root word YADA, which, when used to refer to God, speaks in relational tones. For the Hebrews, YADA is done more by the heart than the mind, and knowledge arises not by looking but by active and intentional involvement in the deep experience lived, to the point of one being part of the other.

We can say that we belong to Him, that we believe in the gospel, that we worship with songs and prayers, and that we advocate for causes of justice, but we can seriously err from the Path because we do not know God. We do what we think is right, but we don't arrive at Christ.

“God is a Person and, deep within His powerful nature, He thinks, desires, enjoys, feels, loves, desires and suffers like any other person. In making Himself known to us, He remains in the familiar pattern of personality. He communicates with us through our minds, our wills, and our emotions. The continuous and unhindered exchange of love and thought between God and the soul of the redeemed man is the beating heart of the New Testament.” - A W. Tozer

Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is awareness, understanding, or a skill you gain from experience. Information is organized facts.

We cannot know God intimately by human reason. We know Him by dealing directly with Him, turning to Him in all circumstances and difficulties, conversing with Him, and following His commandments. You can only have peace when you know God. To love Him, you need to know Him so you don't make mistakes—so you don't go astray.

My Prayer:

Father, thank You for drawing me with Your bonds of love. Even in my weakness, I ask that You reveal Yourself to me. I don't know You as I should. Holy Spirit, lead me to the understanding and knowledge of God. Show me Jesus. Show me the Father. Teach me the ways of God. More than the Law of the Lord, I want to know Your heart, what the Lord loves, and what You want for me and my fellow men. I'm so religious, and I can be so far from the revelation of Who You are. Give me Your vision. I don't want to be superficial or shallow in knowledge. I want to know You, oh God, because I love You, in fellowship, in truth! In the name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.