Pastor’s Ponderings

Knowing God 

I found an interesting story about knowing God I thought I would share with you. Knowing God is the single most important pursuit of all human beings. Knowing God is also an endless quest. Knowing God is the very purpose for which God gave us His Word, the Bible. I find it inconsistent why 97% of the people in America say they believe in God, yet so few of them actually pursue a deeper relationship with Him through a constant diet of God’s Word.

There are 4 ways we can get to know God; 1. By looking at Creation, 2. Studying God’s Word, and 3. Looking at Jesus. 4. The example we set as followers of Jesus. As we pursue God in these ways, we will discover the truth about who God is. Without careful attention to the above, false understandings begin to cloud our understanding of the truth about God. Obviously, I’m not going to try to describe God in one article. But read below what one 8 year old boy, Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, CA, wrote for his third‑grade homework assignment. The assignment was to explain God. Pretty tall order for any of us, let alone an 8 year old.

Why I Believe In God:

One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grown‑ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn’t have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere, which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.

Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.

Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and people finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind, like His Father and He told His Father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said “O.K.”

His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important. You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.

You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God. Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids..

But…you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.

And…that’s why I believe in God.

Wow! What a great paper. A knowledge of God from the perspective of an 8 year old. There was a lot of good theology and some that need a little work but overall, he’s getting it. How well would you do if you were given this assignment? Yet, I want us to stop and think for a minute. You could accumulate 88 years of knowledge about God and still not know Him personally.

Knowing about God and knowing God personally is like the difference between reading about a great car and taking it on a long trip. People who know about God, know what He is like externally. Those who know God, know God’s love internally through meeting with the Master.

Paul, in writing to the Colossian church said, “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,  3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:2‑3)

I too have that purpose. I want people to know God, His love, and the riches of His grace that come through faith in Jesus Christ. This is really the only reason I believe God has called me to be a pastor. I want to help move people who say they believe in God to a place of knowing Him personally.

To know God personally we must enter into a lifestyle of KNOWING GOD. That means all of life, it’s ups and downs, can help us know God better as we rely on Him. We need a constant feeding on God’s Word in personal devotions and in group study. We need to walk with Jesus every moment of every day.

Here’s a great motto: Read and Feed on God’s Word daily! Enjoy the rest of your summer walking with Jesus.

May God’s best be yours,

Pastor Dave

Read: Romans 1:18‑32, 2 Timothy 3:14‑17, Luke 8:10, 2 Corinthians 2:14, 4:6, Colossians 1:9‑10, John 13:15, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 1 Timothy 4:12, Titus 2:6‑8