It is not the same to know him by reference

Yesterday we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, although a little differently because of COVID times. But since last year, we remember for that same day the death of my uncle Rafa, who was a father to me and died on our anniversary last year.

Although bittersweet, I thank God that we had him 94 years with us and in good health and with his clear and happy mind, as he always was. My children were able to share with him and get to know him well during all these years.

However, my mother died when my girl was one and a half years old and my baby did not know her because I was five months pregnant at the time of her death. I have always told them about her, but I know that having met and shared with her is not the same as hearing from her and knowing her by reference.

That happens to us with our relationship with God. We may believe that we know God by what others tell us. We can speak of the power of God through the testimony we hear from someone at church. We may think that we know how God speaks from the many preaching we have heard.

But do I know God personally? Do I know that God speaks because I listen to him? Can I speak of its power because I have seen it work in my life? Do I know that he is a healing God because he has healed me? May I speak that God is a provider because I have seen his provision in my house? Can I say that his will is perfect because I obey him and guide my steps?

Job was a just man, and he knew God’s law because he fulfilled it, but he knew God from afar. We can be very religious and have the rites very well but be far from a communion with the Lord.

The wonderful thing about this is that God is complete in himself, he doesn’t need us, but he still longs for us. She loves us and wants to spend time with us. He wants to guide us by his perfect will and give us abundant life. He tells us to cast all our anxiety on Him and bear His yoke, which is easy and light His burden. But for that I cannot settle for knowing him because of what I heard from another.

Every relationship requires time and attention. The relationship with Him fills us, brings us joy and peace. It is alive and it is real. You can experience all its attributes in your life. You can meet him personally.

It is an undeserved privilege to be able to arrive in the presence of a holy God. He already completed the most difficult part by opening access to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has already opened the way, you just have to cross it and take His hand.

Let us pray to the Lord to help us long for him, to fall in love with his presence in our lives. May we understand how great a privilege it is to be able to have a communion relationship with the God of glory, being Holy and us sinners. That we long to meet him face to face and not by the references of others. That helps us not settle and miss the best part.