Aquaintance With God
Isaiah 59:2 states "That our iniquities have made a separation between you and your God." Being separated or estranged from God, out of necessity there must be a returning to God before there can be any acquaintance with Him. Job 22:21,"Aquaint yourself now with Him and be at peace, thereby good will come to you." Having personal knowledge of something, to cause to know personally, to make familiar. We cannot love one who we do not know. We can have a deeper love of One by knowing Him deeper. What man needs in order to be blessed himself, and to be a blessing to others, is knowledge of God. In Him there shall be delight, with Him there will be communion, through Him there will be triumph.
2Cor.4:6, For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness is the One who has shown in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." John 8:12 states by Jesus Himself, He is the light of the world. If there is no darkness, there would be no need for light. God knows we walk in darkness, spiritually speaking, (Col.1:13) We can have delight, a strong feeling of happiness, great pleasure, or satisfaction. Psalm 1:2,"His delight is in the law of the Lord." Psalm 37:4,"Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. We can have communion, a close relationship with someone or something. 1John 1:3, John states, "What we have seen and heard, we proclaim to you also, so that you may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." We can have triumph, the joy of exultation of victory of success. 2Cor.2:14,"But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."
Where can He be found so that we can know Him? The first thing to note is that this acquaintance depends on us. 1Chron.28:9,"If you seek Him, He will let you find Him, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever." He is a God of love, (1 John 4:4) but also a God who is just. (Rom.3:26) Jesus says, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." (John 14:9) Christ reveals the inmost character of God, and that not in words only, but in deeds as well. Commentator Alexander MacLaren states, "To know God as to know a man, we must live with Him, must summer and winter with Him, must bring Him into the pettiness of daily life, must get our love set to Him, must be in sympathy with Him, our wills being tuned to make harmony with His, our whole nature being in accord with His. That is work more than enough for a lifetime, enough to task it, enough to bless it."
When the seas of life are ready to go over the bow of your life, knowing Him, He can still them. Knowing God, He promises you in Psalm 46:1-3,"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride." Selah. Pause, drink that in, pause, let that sink in. He brings our lives out of darkness, and gives Light to guide our path, He takes away the enmity in our hearts and gives us peace to comfort us, He takes our mind set on the flesh which is death, and He sets our minds on the Spirit which is life and peace. Let His word, from the Bible, abide and dwell richly in you!
Elder Randy Slak
10/25/2023