It’s all in knowing Him!

Over the past few weeks no matter where I’ve been reading in my Bible I’ve found myself flipping back to 2 Peter 1:2.

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.“

To me, this is one of the most powerful and encouraging statements I have read in the Bible. To know Grace is to know the undeserving favour of God that He freely gives to us. We are all called as followers of Christ to fulfill His purpose in our lives and that isn’t always a stroll in the park. It’s almost never our plans or our goals. Every person has different seasons in his/ her own life. As we go through school and college we study towards becoming whatever we set out to be. But wherever we are in our journeys, when we encounter God and His Grace and Love become real to us, He sets us on a course to fulfilling His destiny in our lives. It is a beautiful devastation that God allows us to go through, a time of re-aligning our mindset to His, our culture to His and our heart to His. That empowering Power of enabling us to be who He has called us to be and do what He has called us to do is called Grace.

Peace isn’t just some word every Hippie overused in the 60s or a good bye gesture most people use today or even what every beauty pageant participant wants. Peace is one that surpasses our understanding. It’s not merely the presence of quiet and tranquility but rather the absence of all that hinders God’s sovereign plan. Our human mindset is such that we think going through difficult, uncomfortable and challenging times is the result of not working hard enough. We think we’re doing something wrong and we’re bearing the fruit of it. Well, if you play out in the rain without a rain coat you’re going to fall sick! But that’s common sense. Looking at our circumstances from the circumstance itself will never add up well. Looking at it from God’s perspective and His divine plan always helps us see that these times are set before us to form and renew us for the season that’s ahead. God is always setting us up for success!

Now, understanding this Grace and this same Peace. Knowing that it is yours…not just yours…but yours in abundance, is whole new level of bafflement. It’s like taking the cake and the eating it too. Knowing that even though we fall short of being who God wants us to be, often consciously falling in sin, God still gives us His Grace to be who He has called us to be and enables us to do what He has called us to do. He also gives us the constant surety that wherever we are, valley or mountain top, He is always by our side holding our hand every step of the way. All this is ours in abundance only one way, through knowing God and Jesus. It’s all in our relationship with Him. It’s so easy to talk about someone and not even know them. I spent three years in Bible College and realized that I spent more time knowing about Him, His Word, facts, geography, etc. than actually knowing Him. Spending a lifetime knowing about Him rather than knowing Him can be the difference between life and death!

God is the creator of all that is created, most just and powerful, the one who ordains every rising and setting of the sun and every planet in its motion. He also has the most compassionate love for us that He sent His Son who paid the highest price for a people that He esteemed the Highest. Zep 3:17 – “…He will take joyful delight in you. In His love He will renew you with His love; He will celebrate with singing because of you.” Knowing Him is the greatest pleasure we could have in this lifetime. As you continue to know Him more, may you see Grace and Peace in abundance in your life. It’s all in knowing Him!

The Secret Place – My Secret Place

Today the church began 21 day period of fasting and prayer seeking God, starting off a fresh this year seeking to be challenged to up our prayer life, intimacy and walk with the Lord. A few minutes ago I sat down by the piano and began to worship God singing about ‘The Secret Place,’ a place where there’s no judgement, no fear of being myself, brokeness, acceptance, love, peace, joy and freedom which can never be exhausted; ‘My Secret Place.’ 

I read from Psalm 55:4-8. “My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. “Behold, I would wander far away,
I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah. “I would hasten to my place of refuge
From the stormy wind and tempest.””

Living in Mumbai (probably the noisiest city in India) we can sometimes forget about the quietness, silence and solitude of laying before God. I read this feeling almost similar to what David felt at this time. Even the busyness of ‘doing’ church can get the best of us sometimes. It’s been awhile since I just lay before God are rested allowing the Holy Spirit to just minister to me. 

There are times in our lives when we’re not really at the best place and we’re disappointed and frustrated with things. That’s when we need to be at that resting place more than ever. Vs 6 says, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” David didn’t choose a hawk or an eagle or any other swift flying bird that could devour its prey with ease, he chose ‘the wings of a dove,’ a light spirited bird that could fly calmly and take shelter as soon as it could. He wanted to escape the ‘stormy wind and the tempest.’ All he wanted was a place of refuge, where he could feel the warmth of assurance and safety.

Times like this, allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to us and drinking of His unending well of peace, love and goodness is just what we need. In rest is where we find ourselves in God. He is then able to strengthen our faith and give of His awesome grace to fulfill His purpose in our lives. It’s funny how God speaks and works in us. But His ways are beyond the boxes we try to put Him in. Hope you find the time to lay before Him and allow God to commission your life a fresh through rest.