Wow, to think we can actually know God. What a thought. What a beautiful reality. The God who created everything; the whole universe. The God who created man. Oh, what a thought. Man and woman, created in such a way that they, from the beginning, could walk with God.

We know the rest of the story. Man and woman disobeyed and evil entered. But, from that point on God began a desperate pursuit to restore the relationship, because He really loves us. He went to such extremes as to even allow His only son to take the full punishment for our disobedience. Death.

And to think God was willing to do all that so we could know Him – be forgiven by Him. Is this hitting you right now? Is it crushing to think God did this for us?

Think on this story for a moment: A man cheated on his wife; he has three kids. The man realizes his terrible actions and begins to seek restoration. He starts with his wife. He tells her everything. He apologizes and begs for forgiveness. He then goes to his kids, one by one as they grow old enough to understand for themselves. One of the kids really resents his father and it takes years for the relationship to be restored. His daughter no longer trusts him, and even thinks that he could be some pervert who may have treated her wrongly as a kid. The other son forgives him right away but then later comes to resent him and again it takes year’s for their relationship to be restored. The father was completely honest with his family even though it was a huge risk and cost him a lot.

I read basically the same story in “Scary Close” by Donald Miller. The story feels fitting to paint the image of forgiveness and restoration, and how through restoration a relationship can be closer and stronger then ever before… What I didn’t share is that the father in the story was wholeheartedly forgiven; restoration did take place, and I wept right there reading the story in Starbucks. It didn’t all happen right away, but his family forgave him. Restoration happened and it all started as the father took a big risk by being honest.

What does this have to do with knowing God, though? Well, I believe we’ve all in some way cheated on God. We’ve carved images in our minds or put money and other things above Him. We’ve even manipulated Him to be what we want Him to be… We’ve said we believe in Him, we love Him, and we’ve even really sought to know Him, but still (at least for me) come to points in life where there’s yet again something else getting in the way…

God took a risk, and sacrificed His son so that we could be totally forgiven and restored to Him. Now, all He desires is that we take a risk, ask for forgiveness, and pursue reconciliation with Him. Maybe this is a daily thing. In John Chapter 3 verse 30 John writes, “He (God) must increase, but I must decrease.” We must take risks to decrease. To replace God with the things that we’ve put before Him means decreasing, and having complete trust that God want’s to be totally connected to us.

Taking a risk like this is what I think could be the next step for many. For me, I’m asking myself, and God, what have I put above Him/you?

See, I’m at a place in my life where I don’t want to settle for the marginalized Christian life of Church on Sundays and Bible study on Wednesdays. Or a 5 minute devo in the mornings… And I don’t want to settle for the “easy life” that just “get’s me by…” I want to take risks for God. I want to be intentional with my relationships. I want to be wholly honesty and wholly human to those around me.

If your in a similar place please share what you’re doing to seek God these days? What has God put on your heart that you want to take a risk on? Where do you need to be completely honest with God?