Wednesday, July 30, 2014

To an Unknown God

How well do you know the God you worship and believe in?  Do you know Him enough to trust Him even when you can't understand Him?  Do you know Him enough to tell others about Him? Do you really know Him?  
Enough to know what pleases Him? 
Enough to know His will? 
Enough to approach Him?
And talk with Him?
Enough to love Him?  Enough to love others because of Him? 

Can you imagine going to church on Sunday and singing songs and praying with simply the hopes that somewhere there is a god listening?  And as we sing the songs, the words claim praise and honor "to an unknown God" because we don't really know for sure if there is one true God or who He may be...  And we go through the motions, wondering if maybe we made Him up to be what we thought He should be.  

We're uncertain about how to approach Him.  We aren't sure what will please Him.  But we bring some kind of worship with the hopes that someone will respond.  And we then go home and live our lives with hopes that there is a god somewhere who might care for us.

How sad would that be?  To live based on a hope or wish for a god that we don't really actually know.  But isn't that the way many live?  So many live with only the hopes that God is there and cares for them.  And yet, something seems to keep them at a distance from the reality of who God truly is.  Maybe it's just that they cannot fathom His excellency and majesty.   Maybe they were taught erroneously about His power and might.  Maybe they've never experienced a true and personal moment with God that would bring about a permanent distinction of who He is.  Perhaps they just don't know.  

You see, if we truly knew Him, we'd take heart and find peace in the midst of turmoil.  If we really knew Him, we'd let go of our idols and selfish motives for His plans and purposes.  If we really knew Him, we'd seek to do the things that please Him and honor Him.  If we really knew Him, we'd love Him.  We'd live abundantly and love Him and others abundantly.  We'd find ourselves in full acceptance of who we are because of His perfect plan for us.  And we'd love Him.  We'd want to be nearer and nearer to Him.  We'd long to dwell with Him, not caring so much about our earthly rights and possessions because in due time, we will be with Him.  And we'd love Him.

Knowing God ultimately leads to loving Him.  Because He first loved us.  Because He is love.  And we would love too, if we'd truly know Him.

23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.- Acts 17:23-24