More on Knowing God

Yesterday my friend Todd brought over The Gospel of John: The Film, and we watched it up through, oh, about chapter 15. I think what struck me most about this particular portrayal of Jesus is his beautiful heartiness. The look on his face as he preaches the good news is one of joy and eagerness to share. He speaks of the free offer of salvation with a burgeoning smile on his lips and a tone of excitement in his voice. That contrasts with my (perhaps skewed) memory of earlier portrayals, in which Jesus seems always somber and slightly ascetic, as of someone just getting over a long fever. Here he is quietly robust, engaged it seems in the project of living his life to the fullest, serenely real and touchable.

I spoke yesterday of the "knowable-ness" of God. It strikes me now that this is the mission of the Christian. To bear this message to others: that God may be known, and that the time to know him is now. The disciple called John, who spent several years in intimate companionship with Jesus--not only sitting at his feet as a learner, but walking the dusty roads of Judea and Galilee with him, feasting with him, praying with him, and then later watching him brutally slain, seeing the blood and water pour from his side--said of Jesus, "We have seen the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth." And again, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." And in another place, "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make your joy complete."

"Seek the Lord while He may be found," the ancient Psalmist said. The revolutionary message of the Gospel begins with this: the Lord is seekable and findable and knowable. Indeed, the Lord is so willing to be known, He would have us call Him Papa. Let no one deceive you with false humility. The curtain on the Holy of Holies was rent in two when Christ died on the tree. Jehovah became accessible. This is no boast of men, for it was all His doing. Knock, and the door shall be opened.