Earlier this week while driving home from work, thinking about the day’s events, I was taken aback by the instant beauty that surrounded me: a sun break in the midst of grey skies, so glorious, so bright, so full of promise and hope. Bare tree limbs sprinkled with buds of promised flowers, color, and leaves. Clusters of purple crocuses and bright yellow daffodils randomly planted beside the road’s edge. Two eagles circling overhead whose wings I never did see flap. How do they soar so high, for so long, so gracefully, my mind wondered? I realized my thoughts had shifted gears and I was focused on the glory of God. It seemed to radiate from every nook and cranny as I drove towards home. I paused for a moment at the stop light and in humble gratitude, praised Him for the gifts He bestowed on me…not the gift of nature per say, but the gift of revealing to me a part of who He is. Beauty, Majesty, Creator , Lover, Savior… Oh my heart is full!
Experiencing Jesus is what it means to know Him. Yes, I can read all about Him and learn plenty. Reading the accounts of those in the Bible, especially Paul (whom I relate to a little too much perhaps) are encouraging without a doubt. They offer incredible insights. The value of the Bible is unmatched by all the material possessions in the world to me. However, when my daughter asked how will the people in third world countries, who don’t have Bibles, know about Jesus, I have to believe more than the Bible is necessary for knowing God. I believe fully it is about experiencing Him.
As for us who rely on the Bible alone to know God, I say don't be content in words alone. However powerful, however insightful the words are, they are not God. I know many people who come mighty close to worshipping the book itself. Let yourself be moved through the words into the arms of Christ. Let the words inspire you, set your mind on course, and help you know about God. But don't miss Him while you're reading!
Brennan Manning, my most favorite author writes, “In Hebrew and Christian scriptures, knowledge is felt, it arises from an experience of God in faith and love rather than from human investigation.” Experience is essential to knowing Jesus. If I think back to all that I truly understand about Jesus, I believe most of what I know to be true came from what He revealed to me in my times of struggle and/or reflection. I don’t know how to explain scripturally what I know personally…It’s all rooted in faith and backed up by the infallible Word of God. Not a blind faith as many skeptics say, but a faith I trust in because I have seen God’s glory in my own life.
So, I say to my 9 year old daughter who asks about the people in third world countries, “God will show them His glory, they will experience Him, and like us, they will fall to their knees and worship Him as God.”
"A man can lay claim only to what is given him from heaven." John 3:27
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