Unknown.
A quick check in a dictionary tells me the word means “something not within one’s knowledge, experience, or understanding”. It adds “something obscure.”
The verse immediately comes to mind.
Paul, while preaching in Athens, knew he had to appeal to the people in a way they would understand.
“As I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.” (Acts 17:23, NLT)
Paul shared with those listening of his God, for He is the God who wants to be known to people.
Our God deeply desires for His own to know Him, to know His character, and His intimate love for His people. We can know His:
- grace – so rich and free
- mercy – divine favor which withholds punishment
- love – always unconditional and intimate
- compassion – showered on us in our times of great distress
- forgiveness – the pardon and cancellation of all our sins
- generosity – fullness and liberal outpouring of blessings
- kindness – benevolent help and relief
- guidance – counsel and direction
He will pursue the lost, the wandering, the prodigal, and the faithful alike to draw them into a fuller relationship with Himself.
In knowing Him, we can trust Him with all the unknowns.
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
(Corrie Ten Boom)
Today I am joining … Five Minute Friday and Faith On Fire and Faith ”˜N Friends and Friendship Friday .
That thought from Corrie always stops me in my tracks. And Paul’s reference to the unknown God makes me sad, but also reminds me of Romans 1 truth in which we are reminded that God’s fingerprints are everywhere so that we will look up from our little lives and wonder about him.
Paul’s reference always makes me realize how God will go to such lengths to make Himself known to people.
I love the quote from Corrie Ten Boom. We do get to see evidence of God through his grace, mercy, love, compassion, forgiveness, generosity and kindness, but your post reminds me of these verses from Exodus: “And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” We have to be comfortable with the unknowable. Faith!
Amen!
And yet, despite our lack in knowing, God still fully knows and loves us. How remarkable! (Visiting from FMF)
It always amazes me.
Love that CTB quote! xo
I do as well.
Yes, we have a God who’s known,
but He’s sometimes in disguise
as a broken stranger, all alone
with pain deep in his eyes.
Maybe He’s the addict in the park
with a needle in her vein,
to whom the future’s gone all dark,
for who can remove her stain?
Or perhaps He is that mighty man,
that haughty overlord
for whom cancer was not in the plan,
nor the death he’s headed toward.
If it’s God we seek to please
we must love Him in the least of these.
Andrew, those two last lines are powerful!