Real with Rue

I feel like with Christianity, the learning and growing never stop. You may read a scripture and understand it from one perspective, then hear it from another perspective, and then read a commentary and be completely mind-blown. This all comes from what we Christians call revelation, and that only comes from reading your Bible with an open heart and mind, wanting to learn who God truly is. I have been on a mission, one that I have failed at, gotten up from, restarted, and gone even harder, to understand who God is.

I have truly learned the importance of understanding that salvation is not the end but a step into a forever journey of discovering who God is. The crazy part, and the most annoying part in fact, is that I have learned who God is in the darkest moments, when His presence is what I crave most. It is not that I only crave God in sadness, but in joy I do not crave His presence out of need, I simply desire to be in His presence with joy. Yet in my sadness, I require His closeness. No matter what, I always desire to understand the nature of who He is.

If we look at the Bible, David was someone who longed to know God and His presence (Psalm 27:8). Moses desired to see His glory (Exodus 33:18). Paul wanted to encounter and know Him fully (Philippians 3:10). And the best part is that God wanted the same thing back. I love that God has different levels of intimacy depending on how much someone desires to know Him. The whole point of the veil being torn between us and Jesus was so we could know who God is, His nature and His ways.

I understand it better now. Imagine someone wanting to be friends with you, but they never take the time to know you, even though you text them every day and constantly show up for them. Then something happens, and suddenly they doubt your character, even though you have never switched up on them. I presume that is how God feels when we stop having faith in His character and who He is.

So, in all of this, I guess the question is: How do I know who God is? Well, like any relationship, you need to be drawn to someone and have a desire to know them, not just for what they give but for who they are. God gave us the Bible, His Word, the Logos. The problem is that many of us approach Scripture with an egocentric mindset, trying to fit our own stories into the biblical text. But the Bible reveals first and foremost the nature of who God is.

For example, Job’s story reveals that bad things can happen, yet God is still God and still faithful. Abraham’s story shows God as a provider and a promise-keeper, even when circumstances oppose that truth. This does not mean we cannot relate to these stories, but instead we should ask the Holy Spirit, “What does this reveal about God the Father?”

The next step is being curious every day. God revealed Himself to me today through a friend over coffee. He reminded me that He is patient and with me in my worries about the future. I am learning to develop a curiosity to see Jesus, like Peter being called to walk on water, to keep my eyes on Him and not my surroundings.

Which brings me to my last point: faith, the faith to step out. After all, faith without works is dead. God desires obedience, and in our obedience we show our faith. This is often what stops us from knowing God more, uncertainty and fear. But if you know His Word and communicate with Him through prayer, then you must act in order to develop that muscle of faith. It is easier said than done.

My level of faith and relationship may look different from others, but the goal remains the same: to strive to grow in Christ through Christ. That is all I truly have to give. In this season, I am aiming to communicate with God every hour, through prayer or even music.

Like Paul, I plead with you to seek to know and understand who God is. Start by listing His names and the ways He has revealed Himself in your life, because knowing God is everything.It’s been real,

Rue