Growing in the Knowledge of God

It pleases God when we grow in knowledge of him.  Our understanding of growing in knowledge of anything is based on our concept of growing in knowledge not God’s concept. The only problem is we don’t usually get it.

Take a look at a couple of things the way God does. He says he has chosen the foolish and weak things of this world to confound the wise and the strong. Our concept is just the opposite. Only the strong survive, there is power in knowledge. These things are true but they refer to a life dependent on who we are and what we can accomplish, not of dependence on God alone. God also says the first shall be last and last shall be first and to be great you must become a servant. Sounds opposite again to what we were taught when we were growing up. How many times have we heard second is still second. No one remembers the person who finishes second.

I’m not advocating living a life shrouded in ignorance or not living a healthy life style . That would be ridiculous.I love competition and think it is even healthy. But it is not an end to meat all means.

  If we focus on an academic growth in our knowledge of God alone we create in ourselves the distinct possibility of self pride, arrogance and religious piety that will equal that of the Pharisees and Sadducees of the first century. Jesus spoke out very strongly against this attitude and lifestyle, he said "beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees."

When we are told to grow in the knowledge of God it isn’t just academic but relational as well.
When I was chasing my wife. Yes I said chasing. I wanted to learn everything about her so I could impress her and learn to please her. I wanted to spend time with her; wanting her to want to spend time with me. I figured if I knew what made her happy, figuring out what made her smile and laugh she would do everything she could to get more time with me. Soon I wanted to know how she thought and what motivated her to act the way she did. I wanted to avoid what made her mad or fearful. I wanted to know what her dreams and aspirations were. I wanted to know what made her who she is.

 This kind of knowledge is both academic and relational. The relational knowledge was and still is only found out by experiencing her, by spending time with her. After 32 years of being married to her the same holds true today as it did when the chase was a foot. As we both change through the years it requires me paying close attention to her and her needs, desires and dreams.   

 In Mark 4:35-41. Jesus had his disciples get in a boat with him. They set sail across the Sea of Galilee. As we pick up the story Jesus is sleeping and there is a squall that forms as they are in the middle of the sea, The wind is blowing and the waves were big enough to sink the boat. The disciples panic, now consider that these guys were seasoned fishermen. Some small amount of wind and waves wouldn’t have frightened them, Mark records that these guys were afraid for their lives. They wake Jesus out of a dead sleep, he immediately takes action and calms the storm, the waves subside and all is calm. He says to them “why are so afraid, do still have no faith?” Growing in the knowledge of God will cause us to call out to him first instead of panic first, because we learn we can trust him to keep safe us in all conditions through our journey as we walk with him.

God’s desire is always relational. He wants us to know everything there is about him. That’s why he put his Spirit in us. John 16:13-14 says: “But when He the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify me, for he will take of mine and will disclose it to you.”

 God wants us to learn about him and experience him through an ongoing daily relationship. Growing in knowledge is very shallow if it is only academic and not relational. The depth of God is way too great for us to limit our knowledge of who he is that comes from what we glean academically alone, not delving into the depths of who he is through building a relationship with him. The written words he left for us will always keep us from getting off track relationally with him because of our emotions. Our emotions are a gift from him so we can experience intimacy with him. He is very balanced and will always keep us balanced if we stay consistent in our full knowledge of who he is. Always moving forward gaining more knowledge of who he is. Growing in relationship with him daily the way he intended from his early walks in the cool of the garden with both Adam and Eve.

Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will make your paths straight.