Why Knowing God Is Better Than Knowing About God

Easter is a reminder that we were created to know God, not just know about God.

Those words are painful for me, because I love to know about stuff. I love attending interesting conferences, listening to new podcasts, and reading good books. I love learning. Every year I try to include some biographies in my reading. The lives of great people are fascinating and often inspiring.  As well written and informative as some biographies can be however, they only help me know about the person.  Reading Jon Meacham’s incredible book on Andrew Jackson, American Lion, doesn’t cause me to know Andrew Jackson. I know more about him, and my life may even be impacted by that knowledge, but I have no relationship with the man, Andrew Jackson.  We live in a society obsessed with knowing about, yet we have a frightening lack of the sort of courage that allows us to attempt authentic relational knowing.

Knowing about God allows me to have more well-informed conversations and teachings. Knowing God causes me to give money to others that I really want to spend on me.

Knowing about God can make you appear intelligent or even holy. Knowing God will often make you appear odd.

Knowing about God is like reading a book on dance or perhaps even taking a dance class, where you practice movements on your own over and over. Knowing God is like a dance on your wedding day. You take your spouse in your arms and slowly you find ways to move together, matching each other stride for stride. Finding a pace and rhythm that’s all your own and differs from everyone else on the dance floor.

Knowing about God can often make us arrogant, judging those who don’t agree with what we know. Knowing God always makes me more humble, loving others with the love of the God I know.

Knowing about God is safe and predicable. Knowing God can lead anywhere, often to places that make me uncomfortable.  The discomfort doesn’t matter though, because God is there as well.  

Knowing about God can lead to heated debates on Facebook and Twitter where we offer jabs and churchy one-liners. Knowing God can lead you to make phone calls and write cards filled with encouragement for people who are hurting. The goal of knowing about God is to be right and point out those who are wrong. The goal of knowing God is to get used to the fact that God loves us even though we are often wrong.

Knowing about God can often lead to knowing God, but it doesn’t always.  Knowing about God without knowing God is worthless.  Our souls crave to be in relationship with God. Our fear demands we know everything about Him first (as if that is remotely possible). When we give in to our fear, we give in to a life of knowing about God from a distance, which will never satisfy us.

I hope this Easter finds you falling more in love with God and less obsessed with facts about Him. 

Good Friday Inspiration

Posted by Michael

In keeping with National Poetry Month, I could think of no better poet for a Good Friday post than William Cowper, and no better poem than the one listed below:

God Moves In A Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines 

Of never-failing skill

He treasures up his bright design,

And works His sovereign will

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

Cowper battled deep depression throughout his life. His mind lived in dark, hopeless places more than it enjoyed the light and joy of life. It is for that reason that I am blown away that He speaks of God by saying, “Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.” For all of life’s pain and troubles, for all the hope that he seemed to lack, Cowper still believed that behind all of the darkness and pain, God cared for him and meant him well. I pray that if this Easter finds you discouraged or confused, that you will know that behind the troubles and challenges of life, God is there, He cares, and will not leave us in our pain forever, but will turn it into something beautiful.

Picture courtesy norfolkliterary.co.uk

Poem courtesy poemhunter.com