May 09, 2009 - Saturday Meditation (Do You Really Know Him? Really?)

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May 09, 2009 - Saturday Meditation (Do You Really Know Him? Really?)

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Written by Bobot Apit

Thursday, 07 May 2009 05:42

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally.

John 14:7-14

If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." (8) Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." (9) Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'? (10) Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (11) Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. (12) "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. (13) Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; (14) if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

* Meditation by Don Schwager:

W hat’s the greatest thing we can aim for in this life? – to know God. What is the best thing we can possess in this life, bringing more joy, contentment, life and happiness, than anything else? – knowledge of God. Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the personal knowledge of God as our Father.

Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the Cross. Jesus is the revelation of God – a God who loves us unconditionally – without reservation, unselfishly – for our sake and not his, and perfectly – without neglecting or forgetting us even for a brief moment.

Jesus promises that God the Father will hear our prayers when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers to pray with confidence, Our Father who art in heaven ..give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:9,11; Luke 11:2-3). Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?

"Lord Jesus, you fill us with the joy of your saving presence and you give us the hope of everlasting life with God our Father in Heaven. Show me the Father that I may know and glorify him always."

* Supplementary Reading
The Price of Forgiveness

If you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. – Mark 11:25

When I was a small boy, I remember getting my first and, perhaps, only spanking from my father for having hammered a nail into one of my parents' good chairs. After my father spanked me, I cried and said, "I'm sorry!"

Dad took me firmly by the arm and led me into the living room. He told me to pull the nail out of the chair and then said to me, "Look at the hole, Bob. You say you're sorry—and I believe you. I forgive you. But the hole is still there."

Forgiveness doesn't mean things can go back to the way they were. Forgiveness means you no longer have to carry with you the load of resentment and bitterness. You no longer wish the person who harmed you ill. Forgiveness is a choice. Today, choose to forgive!

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Identify anyone you may be harboring resentment and bitterness toward and decide what you will do to extend the kind of forgiveness described in this devotional.

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Note: This excerpt was taken from the "Power for Life Daily Devotional"