Up close and personal

Peter begins his letter with the following greeting: "Grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure, through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." II Peter 1:2 NEB

For years I almost overlooked these first words of the epistles - just seeing them as common greetings between Christians, almost as meaningless, like saying Greetings in the Name of the Lord... Then I was convicted that I would regard any words in Scripture or spoken by believers as meaningless, as Christian cliches.  The reality is that these words have meaning, powerful meaning worth exploring.

Though all of these words are significant, I want to focus on the last phrase: through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.  Knowledge, the product of knowing.  Knowing - what happens when you spend time with someone, when you explore who they are and what that means in your life, a seeking to understand who and why they are.

Knowing God, what a concept!  Imagining who he is, and considering the reality that he is interested in me, that he loves me!!!  OK, this takes me to the fruit of the Spirit - or the product of intimacy with God the Spirit.  The more I know him, the more I seek that relationship, that reality that God actually dwells or abides or makes his home inside me, the greater his influence in my life.

Love, joy, peace, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentlenes, self-control: how cool is that!!!!  The more we are filled or controlled or intimate with, or know - not about, but personally God, the more we will also experience these qualities.  Sometimes I think we are so reality bound, so concrete and worshipful of knowledge - the facts, that we miss out on all that God has for us.

When we imagine or meditate or consider, letting our minds wander and soak in the reality that God, the Person, loves us, that he sought us out and revealed himself to us, that he gave us understanding of his Word, that we matter to him, how could we not just wallow in his love.  How could we not wish to celebrate that love?

We had just been married and were in the car; I couldn't contain my joy and filled our little car with singing  Why on earth are we not filled with inexplicable joy bursting out of us when we consider our relationship with God? 

How is it that we allow ourselves to be stressed out with anything in this life?  We have peace with God; our sins are paid for, and we have God on our side!!  He will not allow us to face anything that we cannot endure with victory and in a way that glorifies him  We are not guarenteed a life free of pain or sorrow, but we are guarenteed that when we face it with him, we are guarenteed the possibility of being overcomers, not being overcome.

Oh, that is enough for me to think on today - to celebrate his presence here in this room with me....loving on me..I want to love him back.