Invited to KNOW God

We live in a similar time to that of the Old Testament prophet, Hosea who proclaimed this message throughout Israel:  "There is no truth or knowledge of God in the land," (Hosea 4:1). Our culture does not know God. Some may know facts about God or be able to answer Bible trivia. But our culture does not have an intimate, living knowledge of God that dwells in the depths of who they are.  Similarly, the church is following suit. The Body of Christ as a whole is Biblically illiterate, but worse, is God illiterate. Corey Russell, in his book Pursuit of the Holy, says this:

"The greatest problem for the church in this nation is not a sin problem as we would typically think of sin. Rather, it is the subject of God - who He is, what He's like, and who we are to Him. Our mandate is to know Him intimately, yet we do not understand who He is. We show up at church one day a week, throw our money into a bucket and listen to what the man or woman of God has heard lately. We would rather do this than deal with what we truly believe about God." 

 I agree with this statement and feel like I'm in a season in my life where all of my experience and understanding I have about Jesus has become small in light of how infinite God is. There is no end to His love. There is no end to His kindness, His mercy, His forgiveness. There is no limit to His power, His wisdom, His sovereignty. How can I think or assume that I have a grasp of this God? I'm in a season where I feel God calling me to listen more and speak less...which is a challenge! I feel like I'm having a moment similar to what Isaiah spoke: 

                  "To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with Him? AN IDOL?! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains...

                    Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is HE who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers...

                    To whom then will you compare Me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high to see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of His might, and because He is strong in power not one is missing." 

The God who is truly beyond earthly comprehension, yet who makes Himself known to us, invites us into intimate connection and interaction with Him. In some ways I understand the Israelites in their obsession with idols, at least the golden calf in Exodus. They wanted some way to contain God, to understand Him, to interact with Him. They wanted a way to feel safe in His presence, this God who feeds them from the sky and obliterates their enemy in the Red Sea with one flick of His finger. This God who knows each one of them intimately - sin and all. That can seems so scary to step into interaction and intimacy, to allow God's Spirit to come and do what He does. I feel awed/afraid and safe at the same time when in God's presence. He cannot be tamed. He cannot be controlled. He cannot be fit into a nice Sunday morning package with a fancy bow. He is the God of all creation. He is the God outside of time and yet I slot Him into mine. 

This scary, yet safe God invites me to know Him. He's filled creation with the revelation of who He is. He's given me His word to light my path and show the way of wisdom. He sent His Son to destroy my sin and every thought that comes against His truth. He gave me His Holy Spirit who leads me into all truth and comfort. God has done EVERYTHING to make Himself accessible to me. The invitation is wide open:

               "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and LEARN FROM ME, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-30). 

 Come and learn from Jesus. Come. Learn. Come. Know. This incomprehensible God who loves His enemies vs raging against them on social media; this incomprehensible God who sits with sinners, who eats with prostitutes - those who've had abortions and those who haven't, those who are left and those who are right; this incomprehensible God who gives such peace that no fear or worry can remain; this incomprehensible God who saved a wretch like me. Sunday morning doesn't cut it to know this God. Pastors can't reveal God enough about who He is for you. 

In light of what is happening in our world, the solution isn't getting people to agree with your political opinion or even your understanding of what God's Word says about this or that. Hosea coined it perfectly when he said, "Come and let us return to the Lord...let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of God." (vs 6:1-3) This isn't an invitation for just pastors, elders, teachers or leaders, nor exclusively their responsibility. "Come to ME" is an invitation for you AND the pastor, the elder, the teacher, the leader, the racist, the homosexual, the slanderer, the prideful, the weak, the broken, the disappointed...come to ME, learn from ME and you will find rest. It's your job to come. It's your privilege to learn. Will you seek Him today? Will you devour His Word today? Will you find silence and LISTEN today? And the God who hates fig leaves will in turn know you and welcome you.