I love reading. Finding words I don't know or thoughts I've never thought or discussed is a cool discovery in the whole adventure, but my favorite, my absolute favorite thing to have happen when reading is to discover, right there in print, an idea that I've had or something I've felt, but could just never quite articulate. I love finding someone who can so eloquently put into words some truth I've known but couldn't speak. And it happened this morning, in this "great read" over coffee and a bagel.
Epehsians 3:17-19
"...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Aside from having heard it in a popular song or two, this section of scripture was introduced to me during a particularly rough period of time in my senior year by Janice French, who prayed these verses over my life. Two months and one cool encounter later, we again met as a d-group and she discussed why she chose this verse, and these words have since in my life always been a reminder of God's persistence in pursuing me, and His ability to take care of me in all of the ways that I need.
So as I'm reading this exegesis and exposition, there are three significant things that stick out to me, all of them ideas that we know and are familiar with, but they are just said so well, I thought I'd share it as a reminder.
"Every life has some kind of roots and foundations: the beautiful and distinctive thing about the Christian life is that it is rooted and grounded in love."
"The highest knowledge of God and of his truth is not an individual attainment, nor a privilege reserved for a few. It is given to the community of Christian believers, and it can be appropriated by an individual only as he shares in the life of the community...[height, depth, width, length], i.e., the full scope of the divine purpose; the redemptive activity of God in all it's perspectives." Community, community, community. I had a conversation over the summer about how my Christian life came to be. My very first church event, ever, was Believe in the 8th grade. I didn't get it (grace) then, I didn't know the "Jesus story," but Believe was my first taste of community. That was enough to get me interested. Now, every time the Believe Dream Team rolls out for a new event, I just think of all the 8th graders in different cities in a different era with different backgrounds, but with one true and common thing to learn: the beauty of community.
And this last one, this is long, so trek with me.
"God is a 'Thou' and not an 'It.' To know something as an 'It' is one thing. To know something as a 'Thou' in a love relationship is very different." He then uses a couple of illustrations, but here's my pick: "A psychiatrist, in so far at least as he is a scientist and not also a friend, may deal with a patient as an 'it.' The relationship is impersonal. The Christian minister and fellowship deal with the 'it' as a person--one to be forgiven and loved...indeed the contrast between the two forms of knowing is infinite. They belong to different worlds of experience...all personal 'I-Thou' relationships are different in kind from 'I-It' relationships. The 'I' is no longer master. No person can be manipulated as can a piece of matter or a rational idea. A personal relationship involves either love or hate, either trust or distrust, either committal or withdrawal. The dimensions of experience in a love relationship become infinite."
Changing "It" to "Thou" constitutes an entire shift in worldview. Choosing to approach God in that way signifies the change that takes place inside. That was me in the 9th grade at summer conference "getting it" for the first time, and this is the first time I've thought of articulating my conversion in this way. Thank you Mr. Theodore Wedel, whoever you are.
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