Started reading a book by C.H. Spurgeon, the title is Gems from Malachi. This was from a sermon he held in Jan 7 1855; He begins by saying that for God's chosen people, the study of who God is should be at the center. We should have a desire to get to know God, the person, nature, work and everything about the existence of God.
I will not quote the whole book, but the beginning here, we as God's chosen people should want to know who he is, what he has done, his ways and guidelines. Spurgeon uses the parable to hold up a vertical line, just like my old Bible school teacher Donobauer. If we do not know who God is, what he has done, what commands he has given, what we are not allowed to do, and so on; can we then claim to know God? And if we ourself don´t know God, why should he know us on the Day of Judgment?
Spurgeon goes on to say, that the subject of God is so great, so extensive, that our little brains cannot really grasp it. We can imagine ourself being wise men, but face to face with God, we will find ourselfs ashamed if we consider us wise. When Spurgeon compares our wisdom and knowledge with God's, he says; I was born yesterday and know nothing.
Oh, how true that is. I, in comparison with an almighty, omniscient God, am not even a small gust of wind. The importance of actually learning everything about God's attributes cannot be overstated, not if we are to call ourselves Christians. It is God as the creator of everything and God's love for us that made us once choose the path of salvation. Our whole inner man shouldn´t only want to learn everything about God, but also strive to learn us everything about the God we believe in.
In addition to having the will, it is a necessity for us Christians to get to know God. How can we resist temptation and seduction if we do not know God and His will? So in order not to end up wrong, it is very important to have a full understanding of all of God's attributes.
The psalmist says; I have your law before my eyes night and day. Is that so for us, do we have God and His law before our eyes night and day? Do we keep a plumb-line in our everyday life in our speech, our deeds, et.c. in relation to how God wants us to speak and act? We each have to make our own assessment.
Jos 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Ps 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Ps 119:1-4 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your preceptsto be kept diligently.
To really get to know God, think of him day and night and keep what he has said to us, also carries with it a promise, namely that we will succeed.
A proverb says; Happiness stands the bold bee. (Peder Syv 1631-1702) But the truth is that it is obedience to God that gives us total happiness.
Another says; there is only one way to happiness and that is to stop worrying about circumstances that it is not in our power to change. (Epiketos 50-140)
It´s not entirely true, because God says that when we keep His law before our eyes night and day, our way will be successful.
Man's way of looking at how we ourselves can be happy, or not worry about things we can not control, is human wisdom. The wisdom of God is so much greater, and it is contained in; Keep the law of God, day and night, before our eyes. The truth is that you and I, can´t have an affect on anything at all in ourselves. God is the one who outlines our lives, He sees the beginning and the end of them.
Paul Claudel (1868-) put it this way; The best way to lose happiness is to seek it. Happiness is not the goal of life, it's just a by-product.
Happiness as a by-product of having God's law before our eyes, 24-7. We as Christians do not even have to look for it, it just follows as the promise it is. Happiness is knowing God and obeying Him, or should be for us as Christians. Getting to know everything about God should be our delight, as Spurgeon said. Nothing is more important.
Greetings of peace Ingemo
