Comments on: In The End, God Knows Us (A Meditation for Friends)

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:48:53 +0000

iMonk – this past weekend, a middle-aged friend of mine developed an agressive infection, and due to other complications, in 24 hours he went from slightly ill to comatose. His vital organs have failed, his brain is now irreparably damaged, and he is being taken off of life support tomorrow. Our pastor had prayed that the Holy Spirit would commune with him even when our words could no longer reach him.

Your essay has been a great encouragement at this time.

By: iMonk

iMonk — Tue, 05 May 2009 22:13:54 +0000

Jim E: I’m not really sure. Maybe between Noon and Three. Maybe Money, Sex and Health. Maybe another one. They overlap enormously.

By: Jim E

Jim E — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:58:28 +0000

imonk,

Which of Capon’s writings were you reading when this hit you?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:18:46 +0000

As I use Examen as Meditation, or one kind of it, I find that I am moved to see the presence of God in all parts of my day, and his workings.

In the past, I have turned Examen into self-criticism, but I just posted a friend’s conscious daily examen practice that leaves me encouraged and challenged, instead. (link above)

I’ll happily return to this insightful blog.

Blessings.
Lisa

By: John Johnston

John Johnston — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:13:11 +0000

Wow! and Amen!

By: alvin_tsf

alvin_tsf — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:23:07 +0000

Rob,
thanks for this..

“All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me”

that book of JI Packer really made a great impact in my walk with the Lord. that is one author who has a very high view of our Lord.

thanks.

alvin

By: alvin_tsf

alvin_tsf — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:19:35 +0000

thank you so much for this. it is indeed overwhelming to know that we worship an awesome God. a God too large for us to comprehend.

i was listening to a tim keller message last saturday, and he was talking about sabbath rest. more often, what we really need is to rest in Him. rest in His unfathomable wisdom that has chosen us in spite of who we are. rest in His power shown fully in Jesus Christ incarnation, cross and empty tomb that has swallowed up death to give us everlasting life. rest in His covenantal faithfulness to seek us out and to bring us into the fold. rest in His grace that continues to work in us that will not let us perish or be snatched away from His hand.

what your friends went through is what a NYT article described as “the eternal murmur of self-reproach” that cries within us and will not let us rest.

but thanks be to God! Yahweh, i know you are near…

have a blessed day!

alvin

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:49:07 +0000

brings to mind this from J. I. Packer’s book Knowing God, one of my favorite things written anywhere,

“What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it–the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the palms of his hands. I am never out of his mind. All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is not moment when his eye is off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care falters.

This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort–the sort of comfort that energizes, be it said, not enervates–in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me.”

from pages 41 and 42

By: KR Wordgazer

KR Wordgazer — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:14:04 +0000

You are a poet, iMonk, and your words have uplifted me.

“Knowledge puffs up, but the Spirit gives life.”

By: JoanieD

JoanieD — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:59:48 +0000

I love Psalm 139, Michael. And I like what you have written here. What’s even more amazing about God knowing us is that he knows us and STILL loves us! I sometimes think how great it is that people cannot read our minds, because my thoughts are often unkind, totally unloving thoughts. I have taken to praying to God to protect anyone from any effects of my horrible thoughts. I know psychologists say it doesn’t matter what we think; it matters what we do. But I have to say that when I have these non-loving thoughts, it feels wrong to me and Jesus said a number of things that would indicate to me that it matters what our thoughts are. So, we truly do need the mind of Christ to be totally formed within us. Spend time in prayer to become more formed by the Holy Spirit. I have been letting these words of Jesus rest in me during prayer lately: “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me.” That is comforting, challenging, and so totally important.