Can we know God? How do we get to know God better? These are questions that we will all ask at some point in our lives. Deep down we have a longing to know and be known by our Maker.
In one sense the answer to these questions is “no.” We are finite, limited human beings. We have a beginning and an end, we have a body which is limited to being in one place at one time. Our mind is finite and our head hurts as we try and do some maths or recall some information! How can we possibly know the infinite God? Added to this, we are sinful human beings. Not only can we not comprehend God because we are finite, by nature we have no desire to.
And yet, as we read John’s gospel, we find that John is writing that we might have eternal life by believing and trusting in Jesus (20:31) and that eternal life is to know God (17:3). So John is saying that it is possible to know God, and know him as our Father. Crucially, to know God, he must reveal himself to us. In John 1:14 we read:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God, in his grace, has chosen to make himself known. We, as sinful human beings can know God. How is it possible – God enters his creation. God the Son, in the incarnation, takes on human flesh that we might know the Father. How do we know God? It is through Jesus. Why not this week take time to read something about Jesus and rejoice in knowing God through him.