Banes S. Lal
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
Simply listening to eloquent speeches or sermons and hearing about the Lord's works in someone else's life isn't sufficient to genuinely deepen our relationship with God. Through the indwelling of God's Spirit within each of us, we can grasp the profound dimensions of God's incredible love for us in Christ Jesus—its depth, length, and incomparable nature. Much like the Apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesian Christians to have a deep-rooted love, we, too, should pray for our roots to sink deep into the soil of God's marvellous love. Through persistent prayer, we experience a richer taste of God's love, allowing it to flow through us to others.
In our private studies or listening to well-versed Christians, you and I have encountered the terms "head knowledge" and "heart knowledge." Head knowledge refers to what I understand about God and His Word; it's the truth I've learned, studied, and retained. Heart knowledge involves embracing and experiencing the truth of God's Word. Head knowledge should transition to heart knowledge for a deeper understanding and experience of God's Word and the gospel. Holding God's Word in our minds is not sufficient; we must embrace it in our hearts.
However, this heart knowledge isn't synonymous with being led by emotions. It's essential to combine intellectual understanding with heartfelt conviction. We can possess head knowledge without the corresponding heart knowledge, but it's impossible to have knowledge in our hearts without first understanding it intellectually. Here is an example concerning the gospel: it's crucial not only to learn in our minds what Jesus has done for us but also to seize this truth in our hearts. It must become intensely personal, just as it did for me when I realized that Jesus died for me.
At times, we struggle to bridge the gap between what we know in our heads and what we feel in our hearts. We might acknowledge God's control over our worries intellectually but struggle to let that truth calm our fears. You're not alone in this struggle, my friend. All believers contend with the challenge of transforming head knowledge into heart knowledge. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, however, we can transition from the realm of the mind to the depths of the heart by meditating on God's Word and weaving it into our daily experiences.
Meditating on God's Word is essential. We should strive to retain head knowledge and cultivate heart knowledge through reflection, nurturing our intellectual and emotional connection to it. So, when reading the Bible, don't rush—open your heart, reflect deeply, and embrace the lessons God wants to impart. We must allow the Scriptures to not only penetrate our hearts and flow out from there.
While we meditate on God's Word, we are "filled by the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). This, in turn, allows us to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16). Thus, through meditating on God's Word, we enable the God's word to dwell within us, influencing our interactions with fellow believers. Therefore, don't rush through your Bible reading. Instead, open your heart to receive the lessons God wants to impart. Maintain a spirit of receptivity and malleability. Reflect deeply on what you are reading, and relish in its truth.
Putting our knowledge of God's Word into practice is equally crucial. So, how do we accomplish this? Philippians 2:12–13 provides guidance, encouraging us to "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." This verse reminds us that it's God who instills in us the desire to "work out His good pleasure," meaning that our knowledge of God's Word will be translated into action. We grasp God's commands intellectually and by obeying them in practice. Thankfully, we don't undertake this journey alone; we have the Holy Spirit to aid us in living out these truths.
By connecting God's Word to our daily circumstances, we shift from mere head knowledge to heartfelt conviction. It's one thing to know that God is faithful, but it's another to cling to that faithfulness when a doctor delivers devastating news. Therefore, let us strive not only to possess knowledge of God's truth but also to delight in it. Let us not merely comprehend God's commands but actively live them out. By rejoicing in God's truth and living out His commands, we can bridge the gap between knowing about God and truly experiencing His love and guidance in our lives.
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