To Know Him

About forty years ago i heard sermons based on Philippians 3 on the theme of knowing Christ. Jim Durkin, the brother who ministered these teachings was a man of middle age, with many years of ministry, with a rapidly growing association of churches. While I listened and certainly sensed how heart felt the message was, it did not penetrate my heart at that time. Almost twenty years later I began to receive from the Holy Spirit what God the Father had wanted all along, a desire to know Him. God created humans uniquely in His image ( Genesis 1:26-28)with ability to communicate, to love and be loved, and to have deep, intimate relationships. The greatest commandment ( Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30)shows this clearly. If the most important thing to God is that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, then this shouts "relationship." God yearns for us to have relationship with Him, and through the sacrifice and obedience of Jesus Christ, ( Philippians 2:6-8)has done everything He could possibly do to facilitate this. When someone is called, regenerated, repents, and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit ( converted) they enter into this relationship. Usually they begin to gather with other converted people and, hopefully, to grow in their faith and understanding of God. Sadly most do not go very far. Four decades of observation and experience show me that most who identify as believers in Christ do not read the Bible ( God speaking to us), or pray ( us responding to Him) on any consistent basis. I didn't myself for twenty years. Our relationship is very limited. Even for those who do develop these practices. a deeper, more intimate knowledge of and relationship to God is often lacking. We talk about the idea of relationship with God but not the experience. For forty years i have been participating in informal Christian gatherings like men's breakfasts, or church picnics, or "fellowship" of various kinds. We talk about work or sports or computers or anything but the things of God. If i ask someone where they are reading in the Word, or what God is saying to them, they are usually at a loss to respond. But even for those who are more serious about God there are barriers. Sin separates us from God. Relational pain which normally goes deep into our childhoods causes us to keep our distance from God. We develop our "coping mechanisms", our individual ways of deadening the pain and struggles of our lives. For some busyness serves as a tranquilizer. We never stop long enough to even know what is going on inside of us. Others may withdraw into excessive reading or the Internet or addictions of various kinds. An overwhelming need to control our environment and the people around us in an attempt to eliminate more pain is another stronghold. Some people are very skilled at manipulating or controlling others but no one can control God. Consciously or unconsciously we substitute other things for the intimacy with God that He desires. Even if we intentionally respond to God we are often frightened or discouraged by His infinite holiness, and the reality that He is a consuming fire. ( Hebrews 12:29) We find ourselves in a lonely place with hardly anyone who can relate to what we are experiencing. Contrary to our normal human inclinations we must admit our helplessness to God, recognize that without Him we would have no desire for any relationship, and ask for the courage and faith to get closer to Him. In Psalm 27 David writes, "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, O Lord, do I seek.: (verse 8 ESV) As Paul tells the Athenians in Acts 17:26, "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should SEEK God." (ESV)