A young couple brought their newborn child to church for the first time and hardly anybody noticed. Except for an old man and an old widow who got very excited. The old man believed he wouldn’t die until he had a very unusual experience. Today was the day!

The old woman lived at the church since the passing of her husband. When these two saw Joseph and Mary bringing the infant Jesus into the temple they did some crazy things. They excitedly took the baby, blessed the couple, prophesied and gave Mary some sad news. You can read all about it in Luke 2:25-38 but here is what is amazing and something I need to regularly remember. 

The temple was filled with holy men – students of the Word, scholars, teachers of the Law – but they all missed it when God in the flesh came among them. The liberal Sadducees (who were much like the political left of today) weren’t even aware that God was among them. Neither were the conservative Pharisees (who were much like the political right of today). These scholars, these elite, these national leaders all missed the arrival of the King of kings.

The only ones who recognized him were two old, weak, nondescript, easily written off as out of touch, past their prime, simple servants. Perhaps they didn’t know as much about God as the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes or teachers of the Law. But they knew God. They spent time with Him, communed with Him, heard from him and talked with Him. Because they were friends of God, not just students of His Word, they recognized Him when He arrived.

Those who focused on academic “Christianity” of the mind missed Him. Those who focused on relational “Christianity” of the heart recognized his presence. Study is good (2 Timothy 2:15) but it will never replace relationship and personal intimacy.

Those who know about God can tell others about God. Those who know God can make Him known and, in so doing, cause others to thirst to know Him as well.

I’ll bet you’re like me, and the apostle Paul. I don’t just want to know more and more about HIm. I long to know Him more and more.
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Philippians 3:10 (Weymouth NT)
I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings and die even as He died;

Photo by Samridhhi Sondhi on Unsplash