EDUCATION 09 - Will and knowledge
Following is a meditation of some Scriptures that speak to this topic – with no claim to completeness:
Luke 11:9-11
”So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who mocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks you for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’”
- There is a progression here (Luk 11:1-13): Jesus prays > disciples ask about prayer > Jesus teaches ‘Our Father’ > teaches parable about persistent request > command: do ask, do knock, do seek > God gives what is good > God gives the Holy Spirit. Why this sequence? How exactly did this progression work?
- Jesus has just illustrated the point: He modeled prayer (Luk 11:1) > he waited for them to ask about prayer > they asked about how to pray (a good thing) > he freely taught them about prayer. It does work. Their initiative is affirmed. Their request is affirmed.
- Put in simple terms: God is good. He will give what is good. If we are willing to pursue what is good, what is to stand against us obtaining it?
- If this is so simple, why do we still find it hard?
- Ask! Knock! Search! Serious pursuit is needed to obtain good things. Actually as humans we shy away from asking, we find it embarrassing to be knocking , we do not like to display our searching, for a key for example. Why?
- To ask is to admit to a need, to a lack, to an ignorance, to a deficiency. We don’t like to ask, partially because we are not sure we’ll get a good answer, partially because we are not sure we’ll like the answer, or we won’t know what to do with the answer, or we’ll get more answer and interference than we wanted. To ask is to open myself, to express my need, my insufficiency, my desire to know but that I don’t know. It betrays tension, it betrays that not all is as I want it, and that I am desperate enough to do something against it.
- To knock is to admit that I don’t have automatic access, that I don’t have authority, but that I want to get in. As with asking it expresses a need, a lack, a deficiency, an inability. We don’t like to knock for fear nobody will answer and then we’ll look stupid for having knocked. We don’t want to be seen knocking at doors that don’t open. We don’t want to be seen making phone calls that no one picks up. We don’t like to run to jump last minute on a train, because too many could see that the doors no longer opened. A dignitary doesn’t have to knock on doors, he is expected and the doors open before he even arrives.
- To search is again to admit to a need, to an ignorance, to a deficiency, to a lack of something I want. We don’t like to search for fear we won’t find, for fear of expending energy unsuccessfully, for fear of looking stupid not finding what we wanted and needed.
- All these things are annoying and embarrassing, especially in front of others. They go against our pride. We don’t want to be needy, we don’t want to be seen to be needy. We don’t want to be desperate, we don’t want to be seen to be desperate. We don’t want to be unsuccessful, we don’t want to be seen to be unsuccessful. It’s a loss of control, it’s the opposite of being cool, calm, collected, organized, self-sufficient and independent.
- God says that just about everything can be had, if only I am open enough, willing enough, humble enough, desperate enough to overcome my stupid shame, embarrassment, inhibition, insecurity and pride. By asking, seeking, knocking I am in fact saying that this good thing is more important to me than saving my face, staying in control, being self-sufficient and keeping up appearances of independence.
- The opposite of all this is uninhibited child-likeness: No embarrassment in not knowing and no worry about not receiving. And yes, definitely, for a child all things are interesting and clearly all pursuits are worth it, not to say fun.
- This shows the importance of trusting that God is indeed good, that he is more than willing to give what is good. This will break my fear of trying, my fear of failing, my fear of embarrassing myself. Control, self-sufficiency and independence are lies anyway, so why let them deprive me of obtaining something good?
- This passage is an affirmation of openness, of transparency, of the need to communicate oneself (COM), of the joy of learning (EDU), of the need for discovery and the need for research (SCI), of the love of creation and the legitimacy of augmenting good things (ECO), of dependence on God and going beyond (CHU), of the beauty of discovery (ART).
- It is also an affirmation of intercession. Intercession has precisely that persistent pursuit of what is good by reliance on God’s goodness.
- So: drop false inhibitions, get rid of false fear, overcome stupid pride. Control, self-sufficiency and independence are a lie anyway. Pursue what is good. Delight in God’s world. Trust God’s goodness “and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psa 37:4).
John 8:31-32
‘Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
- The context of this passage is a quite intense and frustrating teaching time Jesus has (Jhn 8:12-30), so much so that Jesus says “Why do I speak to you at all?” (Jhn 8:25). But some believe (Jhn 8:30) and it is to these that these two verses are addressed. The continuation of the conversation is also rather frustrating. Things get more and more controversial (Jhn 8:33-58) and in the end the Jews picking up stones to throw at Jesus (Jhn 8:59).
- Jesus addresses himself to those who are believing and shows them how to continue.
- He links several key words: continuing in his word => being his disciple => knowing the truth => becoming free.
- Jesus equates “continuing in my word” with “truly being my disciple”… to be a follower means to follow his word. Obedience is the hallmark of a disciple.
- And that, Jesus says, is the condition to ‘knowing the truth’. Being obedient to the Word, a true follower of Jesus is the condition to understanding truth.
- This is significant: only those who are willing to obey understand truth. Understanding truth and gaining knowledge then doesn’t dependent on brain capacity, intelligence or cognitive skill, but rather on will, on the willing heart.
- Said differently: if I do not mean to obey or if I don’t want to be spoken to by truth, I won’t understand it.
- This is not an intellectual exercise. Knowledge of the truth can therefore not be separated from practice of the truth. To use the positive language of 1 John: to know means to obey which means to love. On the other hand, if you don’t obey it, you don’t really know it. There is a ‘knowledge’ that totally misses God (1 Cor 1:18-25).
- A willing heart is essential to having God’s knowledge. Will is a condition to Knowledge.
1 Chronicles 28:9-10
‘And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with single mind and willing heart; for the LORD searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will abandon you forever. Take heed now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong and act.”
- Again the link of knowing God (knowledge) and serving God (obedience) and having a willing heart (will).
- Again: God is good, he is faithful to reveal himself to those who express eagerness (will) and commitment (persistence): “he will be found by you”.
- God’s calling may be abundantly clear, but to make it a reality attention (‘take heed now’) and follow-through (‘be strong and act’) from the human side is essential. Callings can be forfeited. Solomon did not stay with God all his life (1 Kin 11:11).
Psalm 25:4-5
‘Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.’
- David does exactly what Luke 11:9 says: with simplicity, dependence and humility he expresses his will, his eager desire to be taught by God – to know Him, to know his ways – in order to follow.
- David manages to have that child-like approach to God, that unconcerned honesty, that willingly acknowledged need, that refusal to be embarrassed before people (2 Sam 6:21-22, answer to Michal’s objection), that happy abandon – and he manages to have that in spite of honor, kingship and solemn functions. If David as a king can keep that attitude, why can’t we?
- David also manages to have that till the very end of his life (unlike his son Solomon). He truly is a powerful example in this.
Proverbs 2:1-10
‘My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures – 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, 8 guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; 10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you.’
- This long passage is basically one “if…then” sentence:
- Note the long list of words expressing serious attention by will power: … “if you accept my words, treasure my commandments, are attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding, cry out for insight, raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it, search for it as for treasures” …What a call to be serious, to make this a priority!
- Note the long list of rewards and blessings God will bestow on one who has made seeking him such a priority: … “you will understand the fear of the LORD, find the knowledge of God, he gives wisdom, knowledge, understanding…he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, guarding the paths of justice, preserving the way… Then you will understand righteousness, justice, equity, every good path… prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you.”
- Again: God is good and sure to give what is good. Here is a long list of what is truly good and worth being pursued. It’s also self-reinforcing: wisdom will teach me that these things are truly worth my pursuit over the more glamorous ‘money, fame, power, sex’ pursuits of the world.
- This passage is also an amazing promise that he will give us what we need to live here and now and to walk in his ways in an increasingly complex world.