Know As I Am Known
In today’s post, Peter reflects on how much God loves us and knows us.
A scary thought?
One morning recently, as my usual time of quiet Bible reading and prayer came to an end, into my mind came the phrase ‘know as we are known…’ from the famous chapter: 1 Corinthians 13
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIVUK)
Now this became a somewhat scary thought – that I should come to know myself even as I am (already) known, by God who knows us intimately and fully!
Suddenly I will know myself from an altogether different perspective!
People have told Jill and I how pleased they are to know us, they tell us ‘You bring such a lot by just being here…” – which always amazes us and makes us very thankful to hear! Thank you.
Fully known
However well people know you, there are those hidden things which we all carry inside our mind and heart; the thoughts, comments, attitudes and feelings others never see or hear!
When we stand in God’s presence He is the only one who has always seen heard and known everything! Nothing has been hidden from Him – ever!
He knows the times when we have said or avoided saying the right thing for the wrong reason. He’s known what motivated that hurtful comment, the unnecessary jibe. He’s aware of the times when we spoke to manipulate a situation, or a person for our personal satisfaction! And so on…….
So I think I am at least a little fearful of that time to come!
Total exposure
Then I began to ponder further and think about how Paul was writing of the time when ‘completeness comes’ (v10), when hope becomes fulfilled, when love, faith and hope finally find their perfect completeness, when tears are no more and love reigns supreme.
Yes, we will stand before the One who knowing everything still loves us anyway. He has seen every fault, dealt with every failing and moulded us into the person he has made us to be!
New understanding
I’m sure I will then also know the times when he carried me because I gave up or when he turned my steps into another path so I avoided an (even greater) catastrophe!
I will also see the times I was unaware of when Jesus helped, supported, comforted, embraced and held me close as the enemy tried to attack me. Will I then see clearly the times when God has intervened and things have inexplicably ‘turned a corner’ or clouds have suddenly lifted and despair became hope or fear became filled with assurance that all will be well after all!
Love unfiltered
One cannot refer to 1Cor. 13 without dwelling on its final statement “… the greatest of these is love!”
This is the moment where our understanding of love is completely revolutionised as we experience, understand, and are deluged in the total reality of God’s love. Then we will fully know what we have barely glimpsed, of how great Gods love really is and perhaps we will spend eternity getting to fully know it.
In the presence of His unfiltered love I’m certain I will see innumerable things which will cause me to give Him the glory, and spontaneously I will join in with the tumultuous heavenly shout;
‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!’”
Revelation 5:13
What a glorious day to look forward to after all!
