Celebrity Gossip... Or Something More

Celebrity Gossip... Between the internet, the grocery store check-out lane and the "dish" on television, it’s possible to know how many children a celebrity has, what she eats to maintain her figure, whom she’s in a relationship with, whom she likes to hang out with and even where she shops.

In fact, it’s easy to know so much about her life that if I bumped into her on the street I might ask about how her toddler is getting over wanting to sleep in her bed. An expert at understanding her appeal, she would probably laugh and answer.

But the fact is, while I may know all about her, I don’t know her.

To truly know her, I would have to spend time listening to her; finding out where her heart is on the issues of life. I would have to have discussions where she could more specifically share her innermost thoughts with me.

There was a time when I approached my relationship with God by seeking to know all about Him more than knowing Him. I was willing to know His Word (an essential for knowing Him) and I was willing to obey some of the nudges from the Holy Spirit (the ones I was comfortable with) but taking time to sit down and pour my heart out, then listen for that still small voice?

Ummmm… no. First of all, I didn’t have time. I had two children, a writing career, my husband’s ministry to run and a women’s Bible Study to study for and promote. Second of all, why should I? I was clearly operating in my gifts—people gave me great feedback on what I was teaching and speaking. AND, I wasn’t jumping through what I had identified as the worst legalistic hoops. So, obviously, I was in a close relationship with Him.

So I continued on. Teaching women God’s Word. Having fun. Getting very excited when I learned something else about Him and His Word.

That is, until my life turned upside down.

All of a sudden, the only way I could breathe was to be in His presence every few hours. No longer was He someone I mostly knew about, but He was my most intimate friend; my source of strength and song. In the midst of destruction, I could turn my face to Him and have joy. Joy that seemed to grow larger and larger within me—“fullness” of joy.

Today, I can honestly say that while I regret some of my choices that helped put me on that path to devastation, I don’t regret the devastation; because it led me to His embrace. When the scripture uses the word “know” it refers to intimate knowledge. Knowing Him intimately is an incredible source of joy to me—my greatest satisfaction.

My prayer for you, dear one, is that you will choose every day to go beyond knowing about Him to knowing Him—so that your joy will be full!

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