(& other very scary things Jesus led his followers into)
Why do humans need time in God’s presence, looking, listening, thinking, making hypotheses and testing them out, drawing conclusions, & contributing to the model to be used by both God and the person for relating, (within and about God’s world) and allowing knowledge (both ways) to grow?
Because knowledge of a person, is a reciprocal thing, and is like a growing plant (which is a kind of friendship that extends through & beyond the roles which both play).The two of you are developing your own language and meaning structures together (E.g. Sandy’s “Small-Group, Fast-Communication” Game; Geof with his horse Jackson; the people who watched Jesus’ dramatic “looking for breakfast figs and on finding none, not sharpening the axe and striking the tree (as John the Baptist envisioned), but simply speaking the end of the “facade” that was the barren fig-tree”; those who, the next day, SAW the withered Fig Tree; it was these people (& no others) who could then hear Jesus’ words about speaking to a mountain, and asking with faith (& potentially see through the problem outlined in Lewis’ article on petitionary prayer, types A & B).
E.g. For me, with my grandson, who is presently in my daughter (Annabelle) ’s tummy it is the same, he is SLOWLY getting to know me… because his senses are forming etc… but it is slow work for me getting to know him too, because his personality is forming…. He is not just a static ENTITY. And come to think of it, neither am I! (Jesus' best picture for us is “as little children”, it is True, that there are valid aspects to other pictures too, (as John uses other metaphors) “young men”, & “old men”. But the one that is essential, to never lose sight of, to keep coming back to, is “little children”, because in the words of Jesus, with a little child standing in the midst of them: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. And considering John’s use of words to those he writes his letters to, (maybe even in relation to himself, with all his hopes and wishes for them, let alone in relation to God, with all God’s hopes and wishes for them), he falls back to using this “little children” epithet most often.
Actually my en-utero grandson is probably the best model for understanding myself: I am set on a wild goose chase if I try to “find myself”, as though such a thing now exists. I am a foetus, coming into existence. Yes, one day I may have grown, and have become a “big MAN” (in the words of my currently 2 yr old grandson), but for now it is a futile gesture to focus on understanding my -self (or any other human I meet up with here, except in a way that sees their developing selves as reflections of the Self from whom all self-hood has been, & is derived, and can be, and will be derived.) Creative love is the only real self that we could start to know¹, as little as that may be possible, while in this womb-world (except that this womb-world, while, as with any human womb, it hides us from seeing our parents’ faces, it is also designed to give us the closest possible connection to what our mother/father is doing, and to start this learning process, to come to understand, to be “becoming” a self, in relationship i.e. with language and understanding. That is why it must be “Journey before Destination”, and intrinsic Identity before Name, before built Identity, before NAME. E.G. “X” “formerly known as” Twitter.
Bibliography:
Clues to Creation in Genesis, by Donald Wiseman
The Language of Creation by Pageau
The Master and his Emissary by Ian McGilchrist
The Christian Scriptures (including the Hebrew Bible).
End Note
¹ “knowledge of God” can mean
knowing about God; or
understanding his ways by seeing the consistency they have with his character and motivation; or
actually knowing God, as a person knows a friend.
God won’t settle for less than this 3rd option. It is possible that God “made the heavens and the Earth” (what we call the Universe) in order to make up friends. Compare these passages below on what it means to know God, or be known by God:
“Learn what I teach you, my child, and never forget what I tell you to do. [2] Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. [3] Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. [4] Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. [5] If you do, you will know what it means to fear the LORD and you will succeed in learning about God. [6] It is the LORD who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding. [7] He provides help and protection for those who are righteous and honest. [8] He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him. [9] If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do. [10] You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. [11] Your insight and understanding will protect you [12] and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say — [13] those who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of sin, [14] those who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil, [15] unreliable people who cannot be trusted.” (Proverbs 2:1-15 GNBUK)
“The LORD has an accusation to bring against the people who live in this land. Listen, Israel, to what he says: “There is no faithfulness or love in the land, and the people do not acknowledge me as God.” (Hosea 4:1 GNBUK)
“But the LORD says, “Israel and Judah, what am I going to do with you? Your love for me disappears as quickly as morning mist; it is like dew, that vanishes early in the day. [5] That is why I have sent my prophets to you with my message of judgement and destruction. What I want from you is plain and clear: [6] I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know me than burn offerings to me.” (Hosea 6:4-6 GNBUK)
“It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 2:7 GNBUK)
“In the past you did not know God, and so you were slaves of beings who are not gods. [9] But now that you know God — or, I should say, now that God knows you — how is it that you want to turn back to those weak and pitiful ruling spirits? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? (Galatians 4:8-9 GNBUK)
“Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols. It is true, of course, that “all of us have knowledge”, as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. [2] Those who think they know something really don't know as they ought to know. [3] But the person who loves God is known by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3 GNBUK)
“It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. [4] The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; [5] we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ. [6] And after you have proved your complete loyalty, we will be ready to punish any act of disloyalty.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 GNBUK)
“For this reason we have always prayed for you, ever since we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. [10] Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases him. Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your knowledge of God. [11-12] May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light. [13] He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son, [14] by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.” (Colossians 1:9-14 GNBUK)
“May grace and peace be yours in full measure through your knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2 GNBUK)
