Revelation of God

When we think we have the corner on the market, so to speak, of a revelation of God, it might just be time for our table to be overturned. When we receive a revelation, we often become very zealous for it. We beat the drum with it and promote it to the hilt. It is good to have zeal for God but when we settle into a revelation of God rather than God Himself, He just might bring another facet of His truth to keep us knowing Him, not just the revelation.

Full Revelation of God

We can never contain the full revelation of God because God is infinite and we are finite. This is good news because we can never stop growing or increasing in our knowledge of God. He explodes us over and over until we die. But a problem might arise when we resist His increase and prefer to remain fixed in our understanding. Now, I am not promoting heresy or false doctrine in order to keep knowing, but what I am promoting is His expanse. God will always be greater than my understanding or ability to comprehend, and this keeps it an adventure.

For instance, Christ came into the world of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were very satisfied with their revelation and understanding of their relationship with God. They felt as if they contained the full and complete revelation of God, and then God had The Surprise step on the stage. God’s Son would come with a whole new facet of reality. Much of what the religious of Christ’s day held to was right and correct. Sure, they added man’s rules to God’s decrees but the origin of their Law was God-given. But then God had more of the Story.  Their seeing was limited to their finite mind but God is infinite.  In order to continue on with God they had to follow where He lead.

My Revelation Becomes a Tombstone

This happens anytime we make a landmark out of God’s revelations. All our landmarks become tombstones to our spiritual life. It becomes a ground where we no longer seek Him and instead pigeonhole ourselves in a singular expression. God is too complex for us to limit Him to our meager understanding. We have to walk with God with our hands open, even in our adhered-to doctrines. It isn’t as if He will violate His Law or Spirit but our understanding might need some stretching.

Denominations have done this for years. They find an aspect of God and then they grip on it so hard that it has no opportunity to breathe. Again, it’s not a breath into heresy, it’s a breath into the fullness of Him.

The long and short of this is I have to live continually inquiring of the Father. I have to live listening, not limiting. Even my exchanged life revelation has to breathe…in Christ. The finite can’t contain the infinite, and I have to give Him room to expand my understanding. There are just too many paradoxes in Christ to clamp down on one religious vice. You have to remain a learner and an inquirer or you are dead.

Dependency is always the answer. I am ever dependent on my Shepherd Father to lead, guide, and bring me into greater and greater Light. I am but a sheep and as long as I stay a sheep, I can live in the wonder of His majesty and fascination of His love. HE is the only fullness of expression, not my limited understanding and held-to doctrines.

 “The person who is sure he knows, knows neither God nor himself.”
Martha Kilpatrick, Altogether Forgiven