Day 259: Know It All?

1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.  Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.  But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

Knowledge is one thing, it makes us feel important and smart. However it is not everything. Knowledge does not take the place of love. I love this scripture because it points out the fact that we sometimes think we know it all. We sometimes think that having knowledge of who God is and the word of God takes the place of having an actual relationship with Him. We use our knowledge of the word to make ourselves superior to others.

For example, I’ve talked to many atheists who have read the bible back and forth, some of them even went to seminary or have degrees in theology. Yet they do not know the love of God. I have had people try to use their knowledge of God’s word to try to convince me that He isn’t real. Crazy right? I would always end up saying, you know so much, but you know nothing at all. Meaning they were very smart and versed in all things theology, but the love of God cannot be found in theology books. They read the bible not as spiritual food but as a way to enhance their own intelligence.

I can quote a scripture from remembrance, and tell you where to go in the bible for certain things. I can give you assurance that I know what I’m talking about, I went to theology school, I’ve read the books passed the classes. I can tell the Hebrew meanings of things, but at the end of the day, does it really matter if I cannot tell you about my relationship with God. Does it matter if I cannot tell you about the love of God and how His word is like a love letter to us, His children? Does it really matter how intelligent I am and well versed I am in the bible if it has taken no root in me? It doesn’t  love is much more powerful than my knowledge. My knowledge can only go so far. I can read as many theology books, attend a million conferences, get a Phd in theology but if I don’t have a relationship with God I have nothing. If I am not walking and living in love what am I doing? I don’t think God cares if I can quote a thousand scriptures off the top of my head (I’ can’t) if I am not living by what it says.

I think sometimes we get caught up in the aspect of wanting to know everything about God. Wanting to know the history of the bible, and definitions. We want to know more, but if that want or desire for knowledge is driven by the need to feel and look important it’s useless. There are things to know about God that cannot be found in a book. There are things we can only understand through the Word of God, revelations given to us directly through and by Him. We grow in our faith because we are drawn closer to the Lord everyday that we wake up, we pray because it is how we communicate with our heavenly Father, it is how we keep the relationship going. Having a relationship with God is built on more than just knowledge, it’s built on love, and through this love we find strength. It’s like saying that a relationship is more than just sex, or physical stuff. There are layers to the person we are in a relationship with, and the more we know about them the more we fall in love with them. I mean eventually if we are in a relationship with someone just for the physical stuff it’ll burn out pretty quick. What I’m saying is, we can have all the knowledge in the world but we’ll always want more. Living our lives or basing our relationship with God solely upon what we know will burn out eventually. We will always want more, we will never be satisfied with what God has given us, because that desire to want more knowledge is constantly burning within us.

All this to say, we don’t know it all and that’s actually more than okay. It’s good. In our lack of knowledge we find that we draw closer to god because we want to know Him. Not because we want to boast about how much we know about Him. Knowing God and knowing of God are two completely different things.

Response/Prayer Time

Respond in whatever way you feel led. Whatever spoke to you most about today respond to that and then pray about it. Have an honest conversation with God. Allow him to search your heart and check your motives.

I love you and Hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 260!