"For if I am ignorant of the nature, extent and limits of what I can and must do with reference to God, I shall be equally ignorant and uncertain of the nature, extent and limits of what God can and will do in me-though God in fact, works all in all (1 Cor. 12:6). Now, if I am ignorant of God's works and power, I am ignorant of God Himself; and if I do not know God, I cannot worship, praise, give thanks or serve Him, for I do not know how much I should attribute to myself and how much to Him. We need, therefore, to have in mind a clear-cut distinction between God's power and ours, and God's work and ours, if we would live a godly life." -Martin Luther from his work "The bondage of the Will"
Knowing God is essential to a healthy Christian life. Knowing what He does and doesn't do is critical to understanding Him. The light He gives us about Himself is revealed in His word. We can and should only walk in the light we have been given. To choose to ignore this light or deem it unprofitable to search it out, study it, pray through it and let it illuminate our spiritual minds is lazy.
Study to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15) is as needed as well as singing, fellowship, prayer, sharing Christ and serving those He has called us to love. In fact if we have little knowledge about who God is, What God does and what He has called us to do, can we really do all those other things effectively?
"What I really lack is to be clear in my mind what I am to do, not what I need to know...the thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wishes me to do...to find the idea for which I can live and die." -Soren Kierkegaard
In the gospels Jesus shares about a moment when He will separate those who knew Him and those who didn't know Him. I never knew you is a haunting echo that will reverberate throughout eternity. Our eternal destinations are bound up in knowing God. I do not want to hear such a statement coming from the Lord, so I use the means that He has provided to come to know Him...His word.
2 comments:
The following quote from this post is, to me, the one thing we lack.
The line-- "To find the idea for which I can live or die."
Without this we live to learn and live without enthusiasm for God.
With this, all things begin to take on a glow. To reduce it down-
"Why am I here?"
"What I really lack is to be clear in my mind what I am to do, not what I need to know...the thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wishes me to do...to find the idea for which I can live and die." -Soren Kierkegaard
Have you ever been at a point where your tired of guessing & just want to know that you know that you know? This post goes hand in hand with a personal re-awakening I am going thru - the only way to know is to put your ear up to the belly of God & hear from the deep and that reality is found in pressing into His word. Oh God forgive me & heaven help me.
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