April 04, 2006

Knowing God (3)

Psalm 19

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:2

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As long as worship remains central to our lives, God is pleased to bless many other means for strengthening our faith. Family worship, small-group Bible studies, Christian books and music, spiritual conversations with believers, sharing our faith with people who don't know God--all these can also help bring us closer to God. We should make use of every means we can.

God also speaks to us through general revelation--that is, through nature. In fact, within a biblical context, Christians find they can get to know God in the cathedral of his creation. Though we should never separate from the Lord's church, many of us have experienced God's presence while enjoying a magnificent lake or landscape and have come away knowing God better. God often shows his power and majesty in creation.

We can also get to know God through life experience, and especially through suffering. Traveling along what John Calvin calls "that winding road of God's providence," we find that in times of suffering we are drawn closer to God. Many of us can testify to how God has shown himself to us in our suffering.

Do you desire to know God? Are you taking advantage of the means of grace to do so? Are you listening carefully through every experience of life to what God is telling you?

Lord, give us ears to hear you speaking. As we hear each sermon and watch each sunset, help us to ask, "Lord, what are you teaching me here, now, today?" In Jesus' name, Amen.

About the author — H. David Schuringa

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