How can I know? Really know??

Today in BSF we learned some guiding principles for getting to know our Heavenly Father.  It's very easy to be too busy enjoying creation to find time to get to know the Creator.  Easy but tragic.  

Imagine being at an art gallery, taking in the view, when the artist is standing next to you just waiting to tell you all about his work, his experience, his vision.  And you walk away without noticing him there.

OR - more realistic for me - Imagine you have a 7 year old draw you a picture and you look quickly and move on to your next task while breaking her heart because you didn't sit quietly and listen to what the picture is all about.

So without further delay...here are some helpful tips for getting to know our God:

We can know God because He reveals Himself through His creation and design.

Let’s look around.  We can know God through nature.  We can know God through storms, through sunshine, through birds and bees.  We can also know God through others.  He created all humanity and He made us in His image.  That is not to say that each of us looks just like God.  But some part of each of us does look like the image of him.  Maybe it’s our wisdom, maybe it’s our character, maybe it’s our strength or possible our noses.  OK - it’s probably none of those things.  But I do know we are created in His image.
  

We can know God because He reveals Himself through His Word. 

We are able to read through scripture and find Him.  Find His character.  Find His will.  Find how he treats His loved ones and their enemies.  This book is full of verses that teach us all about Him.  It’s His love letter to us.  We can look for answers to our questions and often we can find those answers.  But even when we don’t understand His will or His plans we cannot question His good character.  We cannot accuse Him of wrong-doing.  And I have to admit this is TOUGH.  But if we go back and study His word we will find situations where His people could have, and probably did question what was happening and the reason for it.  And we have the gift of being on this side of the cross with the bible in our hands to read a few chapters ahead of His people and their situation and find that God did in fact have a plan and it was in fact a perfect plan.  We will never understand all His ways.  These tiny minds just couldn’t comprehend the same thing our great God can.  The verse that is most comforting to me personally is:

 Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,”  declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

We can know God because He reveals Himself through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus was fully man and also fully God.  It’s hard to wrap our head around but it’s true.  He came to earth and experienced the life that we experience here.  The joy, the friendship, the loss, the heartbreak, the pain.  He didn’t have to endure it all but He did.  For me.  And for you.

John 10:30

“I and the Father are one.”

John 14:9

Jesus answered: “Do you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The most important take away this week:

To know God is to trust Him.   

If you need help believing please be willing to ask for His help.  It’s ok, you won’t be the first.  He’s here for you.  And for me.

I hope sometime this week you will find a quiet time to sit while enjoying creation and get to know Him. 

Holler if you need an introduction.  It would be the honor of my lifetime to introduce the two of you.