[Anglican Devotional 5 December 2022] Topic: God-Knowledge, Not Head-Knowledge
TOPIC: God-Knowledge, Not Head-Knowledge
READ: Mark 12:28-34 (NKJV)
Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments [is:] ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This [is] the first commandment.
“And the second, like [it, is] this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
So the scribe said to Him, “Well [said,] Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
“And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.
THE MESSAGE:
In our text today, a Scribe came to Jesus with a question. When we look at it on the surface, his question to Jesus appears simple and innocent. However, a deeper look would reveal that this presumably learned Scribe actually came with a double motive. First, he came to test Jesus. He wanted to see if Christ was really as knowledgeable as people thought He was, and perhaps to expose Jesus at some point of ignorance. His second motive was to display his own level of knowledge of Scriptures to the admiration of the public. He wanted everyone around to know what a capable professor he was! But Christ knows the depth and content of every heart; He can never be deceived.
The very clear message here is that head-knowledge does not equal God-knowledge. Knowing about God does not mean knowing God. Many professors of theology know about God but yet have no experiential knowledge of Him. To know God is to submit your life to the Kingship and Lordship of Christ; to live your life in complete obedience to the word of God; to love and worship God, and to also love people in the way you love yourself (see 1 John 4:19-21). Head knowledge may bring you close to God’s Kingdom but only God-knowledge will take you into it!
PRAYER: Lord, please help me not to only know about You, but to know You intimately and personally. Amen.
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