Knowing God on Sandstone Mountain

 

Traveling across Sandstone Mountain in the spring is a majestic adventure.  As the car winds around innumerable curves, huge century old trees rise up to meet you.  The hills invite all comers to the summit experience.  Flowers burst forth and birds enliven the forest with their song.  At Brooks Overlook the valley stretches on for miles as the river cuts through the land by sheer force of strength.  In this rugged outdoor setting I think about relationship...relationship with God. 

It is one thing to say our interaction with God needs to go beyond intellectual understating.  It’s quite another to “know God” in relationship.  A formal judicial standing is secured, a servant position is expected but what about communion relationship, intimate friendship, camaraderie fellowship?  Is this possible?

Yes, the answer is yes.  The overarching story arc of Bible theology (creation, fall, redemption, restoration) suggests that it is not only possible but confirms it.  We see it in the beginning with God strolling in the garden with man and woman in the cool of the day (Gen 3:8) and in the end with John on a desolate island envisioning the revelation of Christ (Rev 1:1,9).  The vast middle includes a cast of characters who all knew their God – Enoch, Noah, Job, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Mary, Peter, Anna and Paul.

Hear the psalmists’ and the prophets’ call to communion relationship: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God (Psalm 42:1-2).  "Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Hear Jesus’ call to intimate friendship, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).  “Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’” (Matthew 22:36-37).

Hear also to the voice of Sandstone Mountain as it reminds us of a God of infinite invisible qualities, a God of eternal power and divine nature.  This one and same God welcomes us into the circle of camaraderie fellowship to know Him.