I was riding the Purple Line express back home today and realized that I really enjoy getting those quick peeks into the buildings that the train passes in the downtown area.I like catching glimpses of people running on treadmills, boxing heavy bags, studying for exams, working in their cubicles... I don't know why really. I just like it.
Then I realized that my knowledge of these people was limited to those fleeting seconds that I was allowed to see them. The woman on the treadmill is...a runner. The guy boxing the heavy bag is...a boxer. The people studying in the Kaplan room are...students. The people working in cubicles are...office drones.
But would I ever dare to claim that I knew these people? Absolutely not!
Then why do I do this with God?
Why do I presume to know God, sufficiently, after just...a good sermon on a Sunday, a good time spent reading the Bible and praying, a good retreat or revival...after such short, meager portions?
Our infinite God can't be so easily and quickly known - but our comfort is that he knows us. This is why, I think, Paul paused to clarify his meaning in Galatians 4:9, when he said, "But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles?" (NIV, emphasis added)
He knows us - not in snapshots, but in an unflinching fullness. He sees our best, worst and most mundane moments and still, he loves us.
How can I be so content with such brief glimpses of this God?
In closing, I would like to share this clip (my favorite) from "Good Will Hunting," which, I think, highlights my point. It includes some coarse language, but we're all adults here.
3 comments:
that is so true....thanks for that reminder, J Hahn!
you weren't there, but our last retreat speaker also challenged us to come to grips with the fact that our "vision" can only be as great as our understanding of God...
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor 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.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)
Hi, Jason. This is Grace :)
I attempted to read the Bible from cover to cover only twice. The second time was during a week-long Bible reading retreat..and although I had to leave early and only got up to Hebrews, going through the Bible in a more or less continuous perusal really left me wanting to know GOd more..because even with all the apparent and latent messages in the Scripture that God compiled through people, there's just so much that's missing that needs to be sought after.
So to get back to your post, I agree that living in the world makes me perceive that glimpse of GOd I have as sufficient..but really there's just so much more.
Thanks for the reminder (copying Ruby's statement).
p.s. I hope what I said made sense...it's late (or rather way too early) to be stringing together coherent thoughts. i don't know why I do this to myself :(
Hey Jason, thanks for the blog. I like reading insightful blogs... and your blog is definitely a place where I will regularly visit now! And you get extra kudos for putting up Good Will Hunting clips. One of the all time classic! Take care Jason and hope to see you in NJ soon!
See you brother.
Brian
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