IOW quote April 11, 2008
One of the most wonderful things about knowing God is that there's always so much more to know, so much more to discover. Just when we least expect it, He intrudes into our neat and tidy notions about who He is and how He works. ~~Joni Eareckson Tadaby~~~
Joni in her quote talks about how one of the most wonderful things about knowing God is the fact that there is always so much more to know and discover about him. Although that is true I’d have to say that more breathtaking than that is the fact that we all have the opportunity to “know God” in the first place. He is not reserved only for Priests, Preachers, or Popes to know Him personally. He’s available for all who is willing to seek, search, and serve Him and Him alone.
It’s important that we are not guilty of what the people in Athens were in the 17th chapter of Acts who built an altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” Instead of taking the time to get to know this “unknown” God they just built an altar in His name as if that would cover it. When Paul saw this when he was in town he boldly approached the people in that area and told them he was going to tell them about this “unidentified God” that truly had an identity.
First thing he pointed out to them was the fact that in the beginning it was God who created the world and everything in it. He was not a God who lived in temples built by hands nor did He need to be served by human hands as if He required anything. After all, Paul went on to say, He is the one that gives ALL men life, breath, and everything else. Making man to inhabit the earth in which God determines the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
He told them God did these things that man would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. In other words, He didn’t need to be an unknown God to them and there is no reason for Him to be that way to us today. He wasn’t designed to be “off limits” to anyone who wants to know Him for it’s in Him we move, live and have our being. We are His offspring.
We may never learn all there is to know about our Heavenly Father but that is the joy that can be found in seeking Him, finding out new things, experiencing new blessings. Finding ways to brighten a picture often smudged by Satan and his worldly ways. Although God is the same as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow there is always more to know, more to seek, more to experience. Praise the Lord. Its up to us to keep on seeking, to take down the sign that once hung on our hearts, “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” and get to know the God who can be known. It’s our move.
CLOSING THOUGHT: As we would never want to miss out on knowing someone we dearly love we don’t want to be guilty of missing out on knowing God. God doesn’t fit in a box, He doesn’t fit in a pocket, there’s a lot to be known about Him, the opportunity is ours. The journey is ours for the taking to get to know the God who is and always will be. Experiencing His love, comfort, strength, guidance, sense of humor, and so much more. Forever prepared to have Him interrupt what we thought we knew about Him with bigger and greater things. An infinite God that doesn’t belong in our pockets, He belongs in our heart where there’s room to grow and expand as we erect a new sign that says, “to a God who is known!” Praise the Lord.
This week our host is Susan over at, Forever His , get over there quickly and read and share what others have to say about today's quote.
One of the most wonderful things about knowing God is that there's always so much more to know, so much more to discover. Just when we least expect it, He intrudes into our neat and tidy notions about who He is and how He works. ~~Joni Eareckson Tadaby~~~
Joni in her quote talks about how one of the most wonderful things about knowing God is the fact that there is always so much more to know and discover about him. Although that is true I’d have to say that more breathtaking than that is the fact that we all have the opportunity to “know God” in the first place. He is not reserved only for Priests, Preachers, or Popes to know Him personally. He’s available for all who is willing to seek, search, and serve Him and Him alone.
It’s important that we are not guilty of what the people in Athens were in the 17th chapter of Acts who built an altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” Instead of taking the time to get to know this “unknown” God they just built an altar in His name as if that would cover it. When Paul saw this when he was in town he boldly approached the people in that area and told them he was going to tell them about this “unidentified God” that truly had an identity.
First thing he pointed out to them was the fact that in the beginning it was God who created the world and everything in it. He was not a God who lived in temples built by hands nor did He need to be served by human hands as if He required anything. After all, Paul went on to say, He is the one that gives ALL men life, breath, and everything else. Making man to inhabit the earth in which God determines the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
He told them God did these things that man would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. In other words, He didn’t need to be an unknown God to them and there is no reason for Him to be that way to us today. He wasn’t designed to be “off limits” to anyone who wants to know Him for it’s in Him we move, live and have our being. We are His offspring.
We may never learn all there is to know about our Heavenly Father but that is the joy that can be found in seeking Him, finding out new things, experiencing new blessings. Finding ways to brighten a picture often smudged by Satan and his worldly ways. Although God is the same as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow there is always more to know, more to seek, more to experience. Praise the Lord. Its up to us to keep on seeking, to take down the sign that once hung on our hearts, “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” and get to know the God who can be known. It’s our move.
CLOSING THOUGHT: As we would never want to miss out on knowing someone we dearly love we don’t want to be guilty of missing out on knowing God. God doesn’t fit in a box, He doesn’t fit in a pocket, there’s a lot to be known about Him, the opportunity is ours. The journey is ours for the taking to get to know the God who is and always will be. Experiencing His love, comfort, strength, guidance, sense of humor, and so much more. Forever prepared to have Him interrupt what we thought we knew about Him with bigger and greater things. An infinite God that doesn’t belong in our pockets, He belongs in our heart where there’s room to grow and expand as we erect a new sign that says, “to a God who is known!” Praise the Lord.
This week our host is Susan over at, Forever His , get over there quickly and read and share what others have to say about today's quote.
5 comments:
Karen this is such a great post. Thanks for the blessings and thanks for stopping by this morning.
Hey Karen,
What a blessing this was. Thanks so much for participating today.
I loved when you said:
"We may never learn all there is to know about our Heavenly Father but that is the joy that can be found in seeking Him, finding out new things, experiencing new blessings."
Yes, what a joy and privilege it is indeed!
Blessings♥
I'm so glad that His plans are much bigger and greater than mine. I tend to limit myself. But God knows that He can use me far more than I can imagine.
We are so lucky He is a God that wants to know each of us personally!! How many times do we build idol to an unknown God: trying to please others, trying to have money to buy things, etc. We really do it today, too. Thanks for pointing out how important that personal relationship is!!
I love the fact that with God...there's never enough..there's an unlimitedness to what we can discover with Him and each step is eye opening and just amazing.
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