But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
What an immense, almost incomprehensible thought. We can be known by the Creator of the Universe. There is both a deep joy and a great terror in such a truth. The One Who spoke the universe into existence is a personal God who even takes the time to know His creation. He relates with those who take the time to love Him. Why would One with such power, such knowledge and such wisdom take the time to know me? To know us? To see us individually and speak into our lives? Surely He has so many other better things to do. As we love Him, He knows us. Dwell on that amazing truth, if you dare.
There is more here than our flabby little brains and our informed minds can comprehend. The implications are both wonderful and troubling all at the same time. He knows me. We focus a lot on knowing and knowing is good; yet, being known is different. Knowing that we are known by God is a knowledge that is almost too much. We love Him, for we know that He first loved us. Being loved seems safer than being known but maybe it’s because we don’t really want to understand what real love looks and feels and acts like. Love seems soft and nice. Being known seems invasive and nosy and frightening. We share our thoughts and motives with those we love but only what we dare say out loud. We also know our dark thoughts that simply can’t be shared and we never speak those. Never. Yet, if we love God and are truly known by God then, well, they just aren’t that secret anymore. He knows. It is a terrifying thought for me. The dark places in our hearts are scary. God knows.
Yet, the security in being known is also immense. No need to hide. No need to fear being ‘found out’. No need to dwell on that foreboding ‘aloneness’ that stalks us so often. Plus, we can finally shake that uneasy sense that no one understands us. Father God knows. He understands and He is shaping us through His Spirit by His grace even in spite of who we are and what He knows about us. He may not agree with what we harbor deep in our hearts but He does know and this provides at least a fundamental level of understanding that we simply don’t experience anywhere else.
The Bible does not speak of a god who is distant and aloof. The Bible speaks of a Father who is so near that it is sometimes uncomfortable and yet, provides the ultimate comfort. He knows us and still He loves us and calls us out of ourselves into His service. The one who loses themselves for His sake will find His life.
Known By God – 1 Corinthians 8:3
Ventanas 