Finished a 12 week introductory lesson on Christianity. Everyone in class was told to write one page reflection and share it at “last supper”. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it but here’s my reflection.

Introduction

• In the last session – we’ve learned that the end goal is to be a friend of God.
• In the first session – we’ve learned that the most important thing is to know God correctly.

Somewhere in the middle – I’ve got upset, frustrated, and perhaps a little sad-of-eye. I don’t know God.

• I can’t see him like I see other people
• I can’t hear Him like how I hear other people

So I’ve asked Pastor Paul, “How can I know God? How can I know that I know God? And is it even possible to know Him here on Earth.” He responded with a quote, “God is like the sun; you cannot look at it, but without it you cannot look at anything else”

There are many things in life that can be taken for granted – and sometimes when you’re silent, you could see how it all points back to God.

#1 Powerful Voice

I am a soft spoken person – but His powerful voice bewilders me – especially in the first page of the Bible.

It’s crazy to think that everything started with a voice. All the things we experience (every good thing, whether it’s a walk along the country-side or being in a loving relationship) it all once came from the voice of God.

Job chapter 37 says it best that His voice thunders in marvelous ways, and he does this so that we may STOP and be in awe of all his wonders.

Consider it when God said, “Let there be stars”. In just 4 words:

• he galactified the galaxies
• constellated the constellations
• and scattered over a hundred million stars across the night sky
• and He knows them by name

For a mere human this is impossible. But for God it is far too easy (as easy as it is for us to say a handful of words).

Our words though – do have some power:

• we were created in God’s image
• the pen is mightier than the sword
• and the one who can speak – wields a power greater than that of a king

To sum it up: In the same way God spoke and built the foundations, let us also speak – and build – each other up.

#2 Relationships

It takes two to know each other and to form one relationship.

The most important thing is to know God. And perhaps we can ONLY know God because God of the Trinity are able to know each other.

I love it when God said, “Let us make man in our own image”. For it is only when God created us that His plurality was brought out.

God is not just a powerful God who created us in community – but God is a powerful God who is already in a community. The Trinity, or as the Greek word, perichoresis, would say – going around in a circle of a dance.

I picture 3 friends in a playground:

• laughing
• holding each others hands
• and dancing around in a circle
• just smiling and enjoying each others presence

Perhaps this is what the Trinity is like:

• being able to enjoy each others presence
• to delight in and be delighted
• to praise and be praised
• to love and be loved
• & most importantly: to know and be known

To sum it up: when God said, “Let us make man in our own image” it’s like He’s saying “Let us make humanity be able to experience what we are able to give each other”

So we too can participate in this circle of a dance – and be called a friend of God.

#3 Romantic Relationship

In a marriage – your love for your partner reflects how one should love the Lord your God.

Consider the time when you first started dating. As you begin to love this person – you start to be attentive:

• attuned to her likes and dislikes
• & to her joys and sorrows

You do this so you can form an outline of her character. And under this outline – you conform your behavior.

• if she likes ice-cream – you get her ice-cream
• if she likes long walks on the beach – you take her out, for a long walk along the beach

To sum it up: “You learn her likes and dislikes so that you can submit to the law of her character”:

• the law of her likes and dislikes
• and the law of her joys and sorrows

All this so you could see the delight in her face.

The funny thing is that – most don’t realize that they are submitting to some kind of law. They are just doing it because they want to and delight in it.

Perhaps this is what it means to love God.

Perhaps this is why the greatest commandment is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.”

#4 Food & Scripture

One of my favorite verses is when Jesus said, “I am real food and real drink”. When I first read this I had a sandwich in my hand lol and I thought to myself, “Is this sandwich fake?”.

I always thought the Word is like food – but no, it’s the other way around – food is like the Word.

PART #1

Consider what happens when you eat

• you take a bite
• you chew it
• your stomach breaks it down even further
• you absorb its nutrients
• and your bloodstream distributes it throughout your entire body
• you in a sense become what you eat
• and it doesn’t just end there – it gives you energy so you could live out your life.

Consider what happens when you read the Word:

• you take a passage
• you break it down into its paragraphs
• and down into its sentences, and to its individual words
• you get its meaning
• and you put it all back together as a whole
• and it’s only then – you’ll understand, you’ll see
• and it doesn’t just end there – it gives you the Law of His character so you could live out your life in right relationship with others and with God
• you act on what you consume & you become what you consume
• in other words: to be is to do & to do is to be
  • doobedobedooo ~ Scooby Doo lol

PART #2

Eating though – is not so much of an individual activity.

My uncle once told me to never eat alone. I’m guilty of that – but it got me thinking. Having a meal with someone is probably the greatest social activity that God has ever designed. It is cross-generational. Having a meal – is where you get to KNOW someone, to enjoy their presence, to break bread, and to share life. Sharing a meal with someone whom you love – is life giving – on both fronts.

Bible study is like pot-luck:

• In potluck we all bring our own food, share it and enjoy it together
• Bible study is just like that – we all have our own lives and perspectives, we share our own thoughts and feelings, our own REFLECTIONS, and we enjoy it together

PART #3

“Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed are those who take refuge in His word” ~ Psalms 34:8

#5 Praise

The fifth thing is about the nature of praise.

Praise is the overflow of joy. And I’m not talking about praising God, I’m talking about the good things we praise here on Earth.

• Whether it’s a blue jellyfish or your own dog – We praise what we enjoy.
• Whether it’s CoCo Ichibanya, or chicken katsu – We praise what we delight in.

For those who were attentive you may recognize that this is exactly what we praised about in our group chat 🙂

I guess this is what worship is on Sundays.

• We praise NOT because we feel obligated to
• We praise NOT because we were commanded to

But we praise because we enjoy & delight in – the Lord our God.

Conclusion

It may be true that I cannot hear the voice of God – but sometimes when you’re silent – you can hear His loving voice by experiencing the good things that He has created. For it is by His voice that everything came into being. His voice is resounding and reverberates throughout all of creation. The heavens declare His glory, the skies proclaim His workmanship. And everything that has breath praises Him. So let us breath and speak the nature of his Word.

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight – our Lord, our Rock and Redeemer – amen.

Epilogue 2

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:12