Know him better
Image: Patrick Fore on Unsplash
‘Hi, how are you?’, ‘I’m fine, thanks’. This is probably the most common way we greet each other here in the UK.
I suspect we all use it daily, even numerous times, as it’s polite and gets the conversation started. It can be used when meeting new people and old friends.
A few years ago I was in town when I met somebody from church. I knew them pretty well and they greeted by saying , ‘Hi, how are you?’
At that time, I was going through a difficult period in my life, so I responded honestly and replied, ‘Actually, not too good at the moment…’
Because I knew them, I felt I could be open and vulnerable. Being a friend, they listened, offered some support and thanked me for being honest with them. Having people like that, friends who really know you, is lovely and important.
The New Testament of the Bible contains a lot of letters, many written by Paul, to teach and encourage the Christians in the early church. In his letter to the church in Ephesus he wrote this, as part of a prayer for them…
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
Paul was under house arrest in Rome at the time of writing, but that didn’t stop him praying. What a great reminder that wherever we are, we can pray for others!
Paul does not pray that they will become a large church, with a great venue, with lots of ministries and outreach.
He does not pray that they will have powerful preaching, great kids and youth work and worship band!
Instead he prays that they will know God better. The word ‘know’ used here means ‘to have a deeper, fuller, experiential, and transformative knowledge, often implying a personal relationship with what is known’.
Great news, God can be known in this was, I want that…do you?
God bless you:)
Gary Bastin
Hope Community Church leader