The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Further, Onward, Higher"
I recall talking to a young man who had been a believer for many years. "I know so much" he said, "and understand the Bible better than a lot of people." In his boast, however, he revealed that he actually did not well know the Lord or His Word.
"If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (I Corinthians 8:2).
From the newest believer to the most seasoned saint, we do not know the Lord well enough. Nor do we understand His Word to any degree as we should. We all "ought to know" the Lord and comprehend His truth much better than we do. This is not to minimize the knowledge of God we have received, enjoyed, and shared with others. Certainly, wherever we may be on our journey along the path of righteousness, we should appreciate how far we have come by the grace and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, we all must acknowledge how much more of our Lord and Hs truth we need to know in this day, and in all to come. "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).
Two primary reasons exist as the reason for our requirement. First, in the passage above, Paul clearly suggests that every one of us has wasted precious opportunity to better know our Lord and understand His truth. In this sense, we could all confess with Agur in the Proverbs: "Surely I am more brutish (stupid) than any man, and have not the understanding of a man" (Proverbs 30:2). Yes, we "ought to know" more and we should be further along in our journey.
The second reason involves God Himself:
"The love of Christ passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19).
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).
The infinite character, nature, and way of God constitutes the primary reason we do not know Him well enough. No matter how far we have ventured into His glorious light, new illuminations await us. Certainly, this is true in our present earthly lives wherein "we see through a glass, darkly" (I Corinthians 13:12). However, even in the unclouded vision of eternity to come, we will forever discover new "wonders without number" of the Infinite and the Eternal (Job 9:10). Believers have set sail upon an Ocean without shore. We journey toward an Horizon beyond our reach. We fly into the Heavens that span Infinity. In this blessed sense, we do not know all that can be known because we cannot know all that can be known. "His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).
Two primary responses should accompany the realization of our need for growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. First, we acknowledge with repentance how much more of God and His truth we could presently know. We then affirm our joyful expectation that in both time and eternity, we will sail further, journey onward, and fly higher into the glory of His boundless being. Honest confession of neglect and the determination to expect glories to come will go far in leading us to venture ever further into the light and life of our wondrous Lord. Because in the knowledge of God and the understanding of His truth...
The Journey's Just Begun
There is no end to the quest we know,
forever beckons on.
For we soar in skies so bright and blue,
above all clouds and storm.
Yes, we fly into the heart of God,
as in His Son we trust,
and earth will soon be nothing more
than long forgotten dust.
So spread your wings and catch the wind,
o journeyman of hope,
and race toward horizons blessed
with those who also know
That the quest of hearts is Jesus,
He is our shining sun,
it matters not how far we've come...
the Journey's just begun.
"I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:13-14)
Weekly Memory Verse
"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever."
(Psalm 138:8).
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