Knowing HIM is . . . OVERWHELMING (to say the least)! This is a good “overwhelming”, of course, but nonetheless, overwhelming!

I couldn’t help recently revisiting the song Be Thou My Vision over and over again. Most have heard this old hymn, but  it became most special to me, because of the Scripture it’s based on—Philippians 3: 7-11: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

It was a Scripture that the Lord had placed on my heart since Sunday. I had read it over and over that day, because I’m just at a place in life that I could care less about “things.” I just want to KNOW Him! Truth be told, I’ve finally made it to the place in life where I’m not basing my decisions, reactions, etc. on what it would profit me; but how they would honor the Lord. FULLY. I know, I know . . . it’s taken me a while to get to that place in life, and sadly, it’s had to come through more and more “things” being stripped away. I can’t remember where I’ve heard this quote before, but it has rung truth to the Evatt household for months now: “You can never quite realize that God is ALL you need, until He’s all you have.” We haven’t suffered any huge losses by any means, but we feel as if God has awakened us spiritually, by stripping away “stuff.”

It’s through this process that God began to question me on “knowing Him.” I read these verses in Philippians, and it’s a heart cry of mine to KNOW Him, but what does it mean to TRULY KNOW HIM? I have to say a big, “Thank You” to my friends who submitted answers on this subject to me. It’s not a light topic, but I am pleased to have friends that not only answered it, but answered it with such clarity that it helped me gain further understanding.  These are just a few of the key words and phrases that I picked up on from your answers; seek, relationship, cultivate, personal, our heart’s deepest desire, always more, love, receiving revelation of who I am,  listening for His voice, a full heart, His presence, giving up yourself completely, learning, seeking Him out of love instead of responsibility.

I love these thoughts. I’ve found by asking others that knowing God is directly correlated to  how much we seek Him, and how much we seek Him is USUALLY in direct correlation with our circumstances or the circumstances of others that we have learned from.  However, there comes that time in everyone’s life, that we simply begin seeking Him out of pure passion and love.

Let me give you my down-to-earth example. I usually gain insight from the beautiful Scripture through the messes of my life, and let’s face it, my kids are great at making messes! However, today I want to acknowledge how I have gained beauty of the Word through something beautiful; my marriage. My husband and I have known each other since the ages of 5 and 7. (I’ll let you guess who is oldest!) We entered into our dating relationship at the ages of 15 and 17, and then we were married seven years later. I had plenty of time to get to know him before we sealed the deal.  I knew just about everything there was to know about this fella long before we entered marriage, and I absolutely adored everything about Him! However, once married, I realized that knowing all these things about him, pale in comparison to “knowing” him. I will keep the conversation light for my young readers, but think of “knowing” in the biblical sense. When  “knowing” becomes intimate, you lose self, and only want to focus on pleasing the other! This comes in the everyday, as well. I know enough facts about him, that I want to incorporate them in to doing nice things for him. For example, one of his favorite candy bars is a Butterfinger. I’m not going to JUST buy him one from the store! I’m going to write some gushy poem, plan a special date night, and incorporate giving it to him then. I just love bringing a smile to his face! You get the point, I hope. I like to go above and beyond for him in every detail, not because I know all these little facts about him, but because I “know” him intimately, and my marriage is not just about what I can get out of it! I want to put a smile on his face by my words, and actions for him each day!

When I think about the beautiful example God gave us through marriage, I can’t help but think He was giving us just a glimpse of what it means to “know” HIM. When you are first saved, you want to know all the things about the Lord. You spend time focusing on the Word, studying about Him, and learning how to worship Him, but one day you come to that point where “things get serious” between the two of you!  Things get intimate.

The knowledge you have of who He is in your head, meets the tangible presence of Him dwelling within your heart, and—BAM!—you begin to KNOW Him! The “things” of the flesh about YOU, begin to vanish, because when you begin to “KNOW” Him, you just want to please Him, and live every bit of your life surrendered to Him! What a great fellowship to attain!

Another Scripture the Lord has been screaming at me over the past couple of weeks, is found in Ephesians 1:17-19: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.”

After personal study, seeing Beth Moore pray the same Scripture in my regular devotion time, and reading it in my daughter’s devotion book (all in a matter of 4 days), I knew this was a passage the Lord would have me put in my memory bank! I desire THAT wisdom and revelation! Not so that I can boast to others of my knowledge, but JUST so I can KNOW HIM more!

And that’s just what I’ve been “up to” over the past few days; trying to KNOW HIM more!  I’ve been in hot pursuit of HIM! I want to KNOW Him by living by His commands, obeying His Word, and allowing His love to be complete in me (1 John 2:3). However, like I said at the beginning, it’s OVERWHELMING! I’m so “in love” with Him and wanting to bring a smile to His face, that I have found this to be an endless effort! I’m simply . . . OVERWHELMED by Him and “knowing” Him!

For “type A” people, this is generally frustrating at first glace! Because according to 1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  I will only “know” Him, in part, until the day I meet Him face to face! Can you imagine? If this experience here on earth is only “in part”, then I am SO ready to “know Him” fully! Come on, Lord! My heart cries, “Maranatha!”

So, in those overwhelming moments, when I’m tempted to become frustrated in not being able to “know” Him fully while on this earth, I find rest and peace in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

At the end of the day, God IS God! I may not know all of the mysteries of who HE is, but I do know that HE IS GOD! And, boy, am I glad to rest in that peace, and just be content with the overwhelming moments of when I get to “know” Him in part! I don’t  know that my human mind could handle “knowing” Him fully here on earth, mainly because I would be so busy soaking up His presence that I wouldn’t be about His work here on earth, and I’m pretty sure He wants me to get to work!

When words or thoughts just can’t fathom “knowing Him,” I have to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!  —submitted by Lindsay Evatt, US