Knowing God

Have you ever noticed that we tend to put God in a box? We develop an understanding of who we think God is, and then base our evaluations of Christianity against that perception. However, many times, the God we end up serving may not exactly be the God of the Bible. When the Bible says that God is Jealous, do we discard that description of him because we do not understand it? Do we cast away thoughts of a God who showed judgement in the Old Testament because we want to believe in a loving and forgiving God alone? Is it hard for us to reconcile a loving God with a God who demands Justice? I think sometimes as Christians, we fall into that trap, where we evaluate things based on experience, or on what we want to believe rather than what is. The Bible clearly shows us who God is. I know that since I began to try to discover the truth of the scripture regarding who God is, I have been surprised. In fact, at times I have even had to stop and "chew" on some descriptions or glimpses into the nature of God so that I could truly understand them. At times, I have found myself thinking, "no, that can't be right, that doesn't sound like the God I serve." Then God gently prompts my heart and says, "Know me, Karen". "I am who I say I am, not who you say that I am.

In Matthew 16:13-17, Jesus was talking to his disciples in the region of Caesarea Philippi. It sounds like Jesus was concerned about the very thing I describe above - our perceptions and understanding of God according to our own understanding, not that of scripture or truth, even among His own disciples. It must be something that is easy for believers to fall into - believing God is who we decide He is going to be, rather than who his Word has revealed Him to be.

(Matthew 16:13-17) "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven."

Notice Jesus first asked, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?". Well, I know that I have heard people tell me all sorts of things about "God" that do not seem to be concurrent with scripture. I have also heard unbelievers describe the God of scripture as a mean and angry God, or others who decide that God is somewhere out there, and can take any form depending on what feels good to that individual. Is our perception of God influenced by what others describe him to be? Even from a trusted pastor, is that our only source of discovery when we search for the character of God? If we are to grow as Christians, it must not be this way. The truth of scripture must be written on our hearts. We cannot listen to what others describe God to be, we instead must discover that for ourselves, through the truth of scripture.

The second question Jesus asks, is just as important - "Who do you say that I am?" Are there aspects of God's nature you would rather not face? Have you discarded the complicated or unbecoming characteristics of God and traded them in for the ones that feel good, that reassure you? God calls us to know him in his entirety. This comes in a mature relationship with Him. I remember when I first met Brock, and I thought all of his characteristics were such blessings. As I grew in relationship with him, I learned more about him, and discovered additional things about his character. Some of these were hard for me to understand. They may not have been the way that I looked at things, the way that I thought things should be done, the "right" way to accomplish something in my opinion. I now see all of Brock's character - the things that are easy to understand and love, and the things that take more time and patience to fathom. It is similar with God. The more we build a relationship with Him , the more characteristics we become exposed to. The easy characteristics - God is loving, forgiving, full of mercy, get re-emphasized over time with harder characteristics, like God is Just, Jealous, and Gracious. These may be harder to understand, and they may even require some work, but they also reveal some of the greatest blessings on the character of God, if we take the time to believe that God is who he says he is, not who we say he is.

Jesus responds to Peter's accurate description of him by stating, "Blessed are you, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my father in heaven." Should it surprise us that when we seek answers to who God is from man, that we get conflicting views? Jesus said that his Father revealed it to Peter. Where do we find the revelation of God today? In scripture, and through the Holy Spirit who instructs us (John 14:26). We must commit to the reading of scripture and to seeking His face, on a personal basis. If we serve the God of the universe, the God of the Bible, then we must learn to accept all that God says that he is in his Word, regardless of our own personal views. In fact, when our old views are challenged through a new discovery of God's nature in the Bible, we should trace our resistance to that characteristic of God right back down to the rooted lie which has implanted itself into our hearts, so that we cannot fully understand who God is. We need to sweep out our old perceptions, and allow the true character of God to be revealed. It is not an easy process. Sometimes it requires a mind-decision over a heart one. Our heart may not want to accept certain facts about God, but we must ask ourselves if we are trying to serve a God of our design, or our true Savior. Let me choose the God of Truth every time!

I pray that as I discover who God truly is, and grow to know Him more, that He opens up my heart to fully fathom the depths of his character. May this knowledge bring only more glory to Him, and help to show others His saving grace. May I appreciate the miracle of his Word that He has given us by careful study of the scripture, and commitment to my heart. May the Lord bless any readers of this text, that they also may truly know Him. ~Karen

Returning to the same old thing

The book of John describes the scenes occurring after Jesus had died on the cross and was appearing to the disciples. We find the disciples back at the Sea of Tiberius. I can imagine what was going through their heads - "I thought this was the Messiah." ; "Could we have been wrong?". Jesus had already appeared to the disciples and showed him his scars, proving his resurrection. I imaging they were confused by what they saw, after all, it had to be nearly unbelievable. More than that, they probably wondered, "OK, so now what?" "What do we do now that Jesus is not with us in physical form? How do our lives change and what message do we preach when our leader isn't around?" One member of the group, Simon Peter, stands up and boldly announces, "I am going out to fish." (John 21:3). In their uncertainty, the other disciples say, "We'll go with you".

So here we are, looking in on the scene as the disciples decided what to do next. The confusion, the frustration, the resentment, the sorrow, the disappointment, all boiling down to the loss of both their teacher, their chosen "redeemer" and friend. How much their hearts must have ached! Their lives had been changed, everything they thought was going to happen, would no longer be true. The plans they might have made, the assumptions they had that they would serve with Christ when he saves his people, all of those plans and wonderings now a fleeting thought, as they adjusted to the fact that everything was different now. I imagine they were as captured in the moment as I would have been. Lost in despair and self-doubt, they turn to the one thing they knew - fishing. Consistency. They at least know how to fish. They can go back to that. It is something they do have control over, it is something they understand.

While the response of the disciples intrigues me, knowing that I would probably respond the same way, it is another fact that I am pondering over today. You see, here were the people chosen by Jesus himself to follow Him. Here were the men who saw the miracles with their own eyes. Who witnessed Jesus' Truth firsthand. These were the guys who tied his sandals, who ate dinner with him, who gave up everything to follow Him because they knew without a doubt, that He was the "one". And yet, days after Jesus' death, are they still proclaiming his truth? Are they fighting those authorities who unjustly crucified their savior? No. They are hanging their heads, they go on home. They go fishing. They immediately return to the life they lived before Jesus. Where are their changed lives?

Do we do the same thing as believers that the disciples did? Do we begin to question our salvation and the the one we entrusted it to, when it feels like He isn't around? Do we end up doing the same old things we did before we got saved, not realizing that our lives should have been different after our experience with our Lord? Do we return to the things we are comfortable with, the things that are easy? Do we recognize our shift back to the culture, back to our old way of life? Do we follow Peter, like the disciples did? Do we let others influence the way we walk in the Lord?

While I think the answers to the above questions are "yes", they don't have to be the end. We can continue returning to Christ, we are renewed, refreshed, and reminded about our Savior's grace and the salvation he has given us. Would it be easier on our lives if we would do it the right way, turning to him for everything after our conversion, and viewing all of the world through the eyes of Truth provided by Christ? IT CERTAINLY WOULD! But we make it difficult, we fight with our flesh to overcome worldy desires and value, losing battles here and there, struggling with the same old burdens we had before.

When the disciples go out to fish, they catch nothing. Isn't that how it truly is? We return to what we think will make us happy, and fall back into old routines we think will bring comfort, only to find them empty and full of disappointment as well!

So let's remember what happens next in the story of our dear disciples. After they "fall away" from the truth and grace they found through their relationship with Christ, and begin to give-in to the uncertainty and self-doubt, someone arrives on the scene - CHRIST! He doesn't announce his presence and demand an answer for their faithlessness and lack of understanding. He shouts out, "Friends, haven't you caught any fish?" I feel like this is a rhetorical question. He seems to be telling them, "brothers, you cannot get fulfillment out of the old way of life, don't you understand this yet?" He tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat, and of course, they catch so many fish, they are unable to bring them into the boat. They drag them back to shore, the nets still in the water. When they get to shore, there is a small fire where Christ has prepared a small meal of bread and fish. He invites them to share in the meal with him. You see, in the midst of our confusion, or our rebellion, or even our lack of direction, He calls to us. And when we listen and move towards Him, he invites us into fellowship with Him. It is his gracious mercy that redeems us. What a blessing it is to hear Him call me his friend, to invite me to satisfy my soul's desires at His table! Lord, help me to continue faithfully, dwelling only on your grace, mercy and will for my life. Give me the courage and the strength to continue a steadfast journey until I dwell with you. Help me to cast off the self-doubt, the disappointments, the inconsistency and the weakness of falling back into the same old way of dealing with life's problems. Help me to look only to you.

Matthew 17:8 "When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus"