Hey, I've got something for you!
Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. (Psalm 119:66)
Here we find the very personal invitation to "learn of God". Jesus was calling his disciples in the early part of his earthly ministry - a calling they'd never really understand until after he was taken from this earth. John was curious about where it was that Jesus stayed - where did he lay his head at night, how did he make a living, who was this guy really. He asked Jesus where he lived and Jesus' response was to "come and see". This is perhaps the most rewarding invitation anyone can receive - come and see. It implies the ability to come into a fuller revelation of all that we are curious about. To come is an action on our part, but to truly see as we need to see - well, that is all on him!
In the spiritual sense, there is a great deal that causes us to be curious, if even just a little bit - figuring out how the whole Trinity thing works, understanding the mystery of just how a virgin could be found with child, working through the idea that a loving God allows bad stuff to happen to good people, and the list could go on. It is always good to ask God to teach us knowledge and good judgment - we need more than knowledge - we also need to know how to put it into operation within our lives. We come to God for revelation - wanting God to disclose to us the things that we are curious about. Our request does not stop at the gaining of knowledge because we need to ask God for good judgment, too.
What is the difference? Knowledge is gained through study, seeking intently, and being wide open to learning. Good judgment is the wisdom to apply that knowledge that we have received. One without the other is like only wearing one shoe! You will stumble along with one foot well-protected from the elements while the other is exposed.
Here we find the very personal invitation to "learn of God". Jesus was calling his disciples in the early part of his earthly ministry - a calling they'd never really understand until after he was taken from this earth. John was curious about where it was that Jesus stayed - where did he lay his head at night, how did he make a living, who was this guy really. He asked Jesus where he lived and Jesus' response was to "come and see". This is perhaps the most rewarding invitation anyone can receive - come and see. It implies the ability to come into a fuller revelation of all that we are curious about. To come is an action on our part, but to truly see as we need to see - well, that is all on him!
In the spiritual sense, there is a great deal that causes us to be curious, if even just a little bit - figuring out how the whole Trinity thing works, understanding the mystery of just how a virgin could be found with child, working through the idea that a loving God allows bad stuff to happen to good people, and the list could go on. It is always good to ask God to teach us knowledge and good judgment - we need more than knowledge - we also need to know how to put it into operation within our lives. We come to God for revelation - wanting God to disclose to us the things that we are curious about. Our request does not stop at the gaining of knowledge because we need to ask God for good judgment, too.
What is the difference? Knowledge is gained through study, seeking intently, and being wide open to learning. Good judgment is the wisdom to apply that knowledge that we have received. One without the other is like only wearing one shoe! You will stumble along with one foot well-protected from the elements while the other is exposed.
If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as you would for silver and search for it as for a hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:3-5)
The knowledge of God is not something for the weak-hearted or half-baked. It requires a commitment to really seeking it out - but in that seeking there is a guarantee that it will be found when we seek with an intensity. Never forget - with knowledge comes the accountability to use what it is that we have been given. That scares some people - being held accountable is not something we naturally gravitate toward. We often resist being held accountable - because it is work on our part! The invitation to come into knowledge is both rewarding and a little frightening. If I can dissuade you from turning tail and bolting right now, I want to let you know that the reward is much greater than the effort to learn of God, or the issue of being held accountable. So, I encourage you to come into knowledge - spend time with him, getting to know him and learn of him. He delights in having all men come to a knowledge of the truth! (I Timothy 2:4) Just learnin!
The knowledge of God is not something for the weak-hearted or half-baked. It requires a commitment to really seeking it out - but in that seeking there is a guarantee that it will be found when we seek with an intensity. Never forget - with knowledge comes the accountability to use what it is that we have been given. That scares some people - being held accountable is not something we naturally gravitate toward. We often resist being held accountable - because it is work on our part! The invitation to come into knowledge is both rewarding and a little frightening. If I can dissuade you from turning tail and bolting right now, I want to let you know that the reward is much greater than the effort to learn of God, or the issue of being held accountable. So, I encourage you to come into knowledge - spend time with him, getting to know him and learn of him. He delights in having all men come to a knowledge of the truth! (I Timothy 2:4) Just learnin!
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for leaving a comment if this message has spoken to your heart.