A clearer vision of Christ, we need. To meet with Him, again and again and again, probing the mysteries of His person and being. So to walk with Him, more closely conformed, more fully transformed, displaying His grace at work in us, ongoing.
There continually lingers this odd bit of tendency toward a dichotomy of thought, in regard to Christ--His reality and immanence, living and consciously interacting, vs. a clinging to fleshly understanding of what seems most generally accepted as present, effective means and measures of God's being (unseen, thus largely avoidable, aside of reading and something of a sort of "blind" prayer).
Perhaps, at heart, this is still largely a matter of self-idolatry--having succumbed so vastly to the nature of this age, we prefer to extrapolate understanding based upon tangible means of measure, maintaining "established understanding" (societal or personal, either) as the foundation, the touch-stone by which all things are measured.
"How do things add up, in terms of what others think and do?...in terms of what makes sense to me?...in terms of a survey of long-standing traditions of thought and practice?...in terms of concepts accepted by all the varied fields of scientific understanding?"
And, then, after all that...or, even, as some strange simultaneous part of process...there might be a bit of hopeful thought, prayer in a sense, that God would guide understanding. But according to man's work. According to striving in the flesh, to know spiritual matters.
Which isn't to say vast arenas of terrain can't still be traversed, that way, by God's gracious mercies in so giving and permitting such passage...
...but if the focus is, in effect, primarily upon one's own ability to discern and come to know truth--if only giving even a side-nod to recognition that God is good enough to manifest His will and way, to even the blindest fools (such as self, truly)...then, still, considering His keeping as a safety net, past the point of human effort, human seeking, human understanding, human striving unto godliness.
Judaism didn't perish at Galatia, in other words, but has yet interspersed and widely, insidiously intermingled in terms of the "best of efforts" and the "highest of intentions," in terms of seeking God.
Part of it is this:
What does it mean, in practice and perpetual effect...to wait upon the Lord?
...although there's a slight reluctance to bring such fellow into this discussion, the quote has proven far too apt, again and again, in knowing Christ...
Because the essence is as this, again and again, thoughout all life's motions and doings...bereavements and trials and tribulations and victories and rejoicings, and all else, besides:
If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.
(Oscar Wilde)
Even as a waiting, in acting and stepping forward, then. That each motion is given to God, seeking His guidance and longing desperately for His glory. Knowing self is wholly incapable of any else but faltering, haltering, staggering, blundering steps which would only misdirect, at best, and utterly demolish, except for grace.
Consider that David made a general practice of first asking the Lord for direction before going into battle, as to whether he had ought even go or refrain. And, he listened, is the point. He didn't merely assume that because he'd offered a momentary nod in God's direction, as a blessing upon what he otherwise might have considered well-founded and appropriate action, that such sidelong consideration would be sufficient. Not at all. He asked, was answered, and then proceeded in whatever manner the Lord directed. Even found himself told to wait, as with the instance of listening for a "going in the mulberry trees" before he was given leave to lead Israel into battle...as the Lord went before David, into battle.
The tendency, rather, more often seems to just jump into action, even studying, without first asking for guidance and also waiting upon direction. Not just assuming that because a precursory nod to God was given, prior to embarking upon some general course or practice or rote system of theology, that then indeed because any such individual pursuit is most generally considered right and proper for others, then it must be acceptable individual pursuit, in general.
Just running from one place to the next, in this fashion.
From one idea to the next.
Even (as I once did and was eventually sorely chastised for, having at the end ignored a direction to cease) from one church to the next, merely so to be constantly receiving teaching.
The thing is...just in general...the Christian walk is absolutely impossible, from beginning to end. Period. The flesh is incapable of inciting regeneration, latching upon the Holy Spirit, and proceeding with sanctification, regardless how fine the mind, disciplined the intellect, and ardent the desire.
God, alone, is the one who works salvation, ultimately. We are, individually and collectively (as His people), given to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world...
...as it is the power of God unto salvation, that Christ came, the Son of God, sacrificed Himself to atone for all our sins, dying a death on the cross, despised by all...but resurrected in victory on the third day, thereafter, taking captivity captive and ascending to reign, now seated at the Father's right hand, even interceding for us...
...and, yet, the hearing of the word of Christ produces faith...
...as He opens deaf ears to hear, blind eyes to see, and the dead live at the hearing of His voice...
...and, yet, none of that is merely function following form.
Regardless what we, with our fine-tuned intellects and rigorous studies might attest...
...having a form of godliness avails nothing, except that Christ, Himself, is heard to speak.
His voice is that at which the dead live, as He makes the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and heals the infirm. Reconciling them to Himself.
He does move, He does transform, He does save...
...even perhaps sometimes despite our best efforts, which much amount to works of fleshly understanding applied to a methodological practice of giving voice to doctrine, as perhaps esteemed in tandem with Christ, Himself.
it is Christ, Himself, we need, though. We can have the knowledge of all the ages at our fingertips, rushing through our minds even so to solve what amount to the highest mysteries of the world...finitely grasping even the deepest of philosophies, wound and dressed, dredged and recreated through all the ages...
...so even to intellectually argue, without fault, the nature and sure existence of absolute truth, unto God, Himself, as though He were merely an idea to note along any other, intellectually deduced...
...but these things are absolutely pointless, empty, and self-referential, as in any way exalted even alongside (which, moreover, is against) even a true knowledge of Jesus, Himself.
Again, and again, and again...these past few months...
...again and again...
...the distinction must be made: do we know Jesus, personally and intimately fellowshipping with Him, daily, continually, and then eternally?
...or do we know about Him?
One is life.
The other, death.
He said to know Him is eternal life.
...so, not to know Him, but to only know of Him?
That's same as knowing nothing, at all.
No matter what else might be known.
Which is wherein this weird, persistent dichotomy which desires to accommodate the world's proclivity for absolute reduction of the spiritual to a point of negation...as even to refrain from making mention of anything beyond the realm of visible scientific inquiry is akin to anathema...
...such that even the Church constantly steps and sidesteps and backpaces in terms of boldly proclaiming an absolute knowledge of Christ, living and vital, in truth and spirit, as a daily part of life.
How many times have I heard many who do, in truth, know Christ...say something to the effect of being guided directly by Him, being given words from Him, or of even walking with Him (in a sense which extends beyond mere metaphorical mention, implicitly and notably remarking that there is a very real and absolutely true sense in which He is one's very best friend, which is not a possible thing for a wholly passive, continually silent bystander, as would otherwise be claimed He always remains)...
...but say such a thing, and then an anxiety jumps to the fore and, if not total retraction, then to utter mitigations to the point of utterly undermining and wholly quashing the vital, necessary truth of the matter...
...with most often a nervous, generally slightly mocking...a chiding...of the "idea of mysticism" and/or some (incomprehensible, as utterly vacuous expression given to something which isn't at all what's generally termed by so inappropriate a term...) "super-spirituality" which is at-once an unconscious self-reprimand and group normative, perpetually given nervous voice, reinforced fearfully...
...so anxious a matter as to incite mockery, even by those who do know Christ...
...and bitterness is so, so oft the root of mockery...
...which is a dire matter to note.
Prayerfully.
In doing that, though, we deny Him. Even if in a "small" way, then still. We do undermine His work in our lives, in our churches, in our societies.
This reeks of much of the world's open mockery of spiritual reality, moreover--God, and all He is, is now openly, vastly denied, mocked, derived, and utterly despised by the "finest minds of our times" (those few who think they constitute such group, at least, being self-defined as exclusive according to personal preferences against the idea of anything existent being "unknowable"--a given thing is deplorably unconscionable...mindless and ignorant as a belief...unless it adequately submits to human ability and efforts at prodding unto understanding, in all the universe and creation). He isn't subject to our whims, is the thing. He's not dependent upon us. He doesn't have to do more than He's already done, even though He continually does...His mercies are new every day. And His grace is fathomless. "Miracles" are still commonplace, even.
Which...if you take into account that regeneration is nothing short of an absolute miracle...
...that is all the more apparent as His continued interaction with us, on our behalf as to His glory.
So, why do we hesitate to speak openly about the truth of who He is?
That He does live, that He does speak to His people, still.
Through Scripture, and also individually.
Which, if you want to argue that point, then even consider it in terms of Scripture.
Because, apparently there are a lot of Christians who currently deny His power, His interaction, His intervention individual, personal, private, ongoing.
Fearfully, as mockery and bitterness are so often a part of the argument against such things.
Fear isn't of love, y'all, in terms of worldly things.
Fear God, alone. He's the only who had ought be feared, and we all seem even to largely be very minimal in efforts along that line, too, as it's been increasingly preached within the past couple months. Thus, we need this. Reverential worship of the Maker. Even utter trepidation, in consideration of the wholly unlimited power which is His, alone.
Our time is in His hands, completely.
Our every breath.
Or we would never have been born, conceived, or known.
But by His will.
We are wholly incapable of stopping anything. He is capable of all things.
From Him comes calamity and blessing. He is God of all, so that nothing happens except either directly according to His will or as permitted by Him, explicit.
And yet He restrains wickedness to such a large degree, even now.
The deepest darkness is as light to Him. Nothing can contain Him nor restrain Him nor prevent His knowing and even mitigate the doing of His will.
Ultimately, He is all. In all.
And if He chooses to speak, then if we deny to listen, what less than idolatry is practiced?
This, just as much that such a fear of Him means that, in a world so given to sin and with spiritual predators lurking for our destruction and distraction and demise...we have absolute and utter need to be wholly reliant upon Him for discernment of the spirits, to know what is from Him. No "willy-nilly" going about and expecting any and everything that comes, for having come at all, is from Him.
Quite the opposite.
All the more need for absolute diligence in seeking His voice through the words of Scripture, as to recognize the Spirit by Whom it was given, and Who, alone, can rightly impress the intended meaning upon our hearts ("hermeneutics" all you want, but unless He condescends to allow even those most tireless such efforts to prosper, they'll only amount to dry learning, rote comprehension and memorization, and endless comparison--without a flicker of broader light come to bear).
Either He does the work, or it won't be done.
Which, again, doesn't mean we just collapse in despair of doing anything at all, fruitless.
Rather, it means waiting upon Him, seeking Him first in all things, and praying for guidance and instruction (continued instruction, moreover).
He does prosper the efforts of many, though, who even neglect to seek His guidance (self being one, time and again, lamentably...but, still, just so as to be able to attest)...many, many, even if perhaps just as means of continuing to exalt the truth of His word, His being.
We need Him, though. Not just words. Not just memorization.
Not just study. Not just good works.
These things come, in drawing nearer to Christ, in seeking to know Him more intimately. To dwell more deeply, resolute, in His peace and love, unwavering.
But it's Him, the center of it all. Jesus...
And for me, at least, as much as there's so general mockery of these things now...I don't care...
...I just talk to Him.
Prayer, too, which is a different course. As one preacher who periodically is perused has put it, that's like "praying with work-boots on," in terms of the intent and practice.
But most of the time, there's just talking. Sharing all things.
And He is not always silent.
But, then, I very rarely am.
Regardless, that doesn't matter so much just to say...
...I hear so many who talk about how there needs to be a method, an absolute pattern, a manner of approaching Him which is "right" or "more right" or something of that nature...
...as though we're somehow capable of attaining to rightly approaching Him, in our own efforts.
Personally, He's lined me out a number of times.
He didn't despise me where I was, though, when I first started talking to Him about all manner of nonsense. He didn't despise me, despite how wretched I am. He didn't leave me the way I was, though. He's changed me. His love changes me.
He changes me.
Same for everyone who comes to Him.
So, whatever, if everyone rejects you.
Who cares if the world considers you idiotic.
What does it even matter, ultimately, if various parts of the church turn their nose up, mocking and deriding.
Seriously, whatever.
Jesus won't turn away from those who come to Him.
Knock and keep knocking. Never stop.
Ask and keep asking. Don't relent.
He doesn't turn away.
And we need Him.
All of us do, honestly.
Despite that many absolutely despise Him, even openly enough to deny His existence.
But yet His name won't fade away, though it may be attempted for use as a curse--still it remains on the lips of much of the world.
And there's this one song...
...merely to speak His name is praise.
Then, let us praise Him.
Jesus...Yeshua...the Messiah
He lives to intercede for us.
Why, then, are we so reluctant even just to speak to Him?
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