Our Known God

Annie

Scriptures: Psalm 121:3 Jeremiah 29:11-13 Luke 24:13-35 Romans 8:28

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God” (Corrie Ten Boom)

I heard someone quote this recently and I couldn’t remember who the author of those words was; of course, it had to be Corrie Ten Boom, who else could go through so much and still live these words? And I began to question myself; when I am going through my moments of panic and chaos, is this what I immediately jump to thinking?

Over the past few weeks, we have been pondering upon finding stillness amid the tumult of our lives, and, surely, those few words sum it up beautifully. When we are, from our hearts, able to trust the unknown to God, we find the stillness, the calm, that stops our racing heartbeat, soothes our jumbled thoughts and makes us simply sit. But the salient point is that we are trusting our future to a KNOWN God, a God who we know personally and intimately.

Reading many of the psalms and the prophets, we find a golden thread running through their words, God knows us in more detail than anyone else, no matter how close they are to us, and He desires us to know Him just as fully. Our lives, our times, are in His Hands, He has already planned and made each day of our lives, even the days when we lose sight of Him. The trials that we face in this broken world, are allowed by God, not from malice or mockery, but so that we can take every advantage of seeking Him, deepening our relationship with Him, our Abba Father.

What is your Emmaus journey like? Cleopas and the other disciple were shattered, traumatised by the events they had witnessed. Not only was the One they had hoped to be the long expected Messiah, killed, He was tortured and put through the most horrendous, shameful death. They were confused by the story the women told of the empty tomb, still despairing and broken by all that had happened. Until they met a stranger on the road, One who opened up the scripture to them concerning Himself, and then, in the breaking of bread, their eyes were opened and they recognised Him. Here was Jesus, their only Saviour and Lord, who had walked the road with them.

Jesus knew what they needed, they needed to be able to express their confusion and the tumult of their hearts, so that He could draw them closer, reminding them of exactly Who He was and is. “Didn’t our hearts burn within us?” As they communed with Him, they knew that change that He alone can bring, a difference that turns embers into flames. And He knows that this is what we need as we face whatever this life brings.

Our communion with Him brings us into that living Hope that nothing can destroy, a Joy that no-one can take from us, a Peace that the world can never give. He is the Wellspring of Living Water inviting us to drink, to keep drinking from the Water that never runs dry. It is God’s delight to cradle us close to His Heart, so that we know that He is our refuge, our sanctuary and all we could ever need. He draws us out of deep water and into His glorious presence, ever closer, ever more deeply immersed in His Love.

A friend reminded me of that wonderful promise in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”. Not some things, occasionally, but ALL things work in harmony for good. What a promise to inspire us to know Him more deeply, to love Him more fully.

He is our KNOWN God whose Word is sure and steadfast, faithful and true, and we can completely trust our uncertain, unknown future to Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, grant us Your Grace to see You more clearly, to love You more dearly and to follow You more nearly each and every day of our lives. In Jesus Name, by the power of Holy Spirit we pray, Amen