Sunday, April 29, 2001

Jeremiah 31:34 -- On Knowing the Lord

"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Jeremiah 31:34


This seems incredible to me. That someday, we won't be doing missionary work... maybe not even having Sunday School classes. :)  And why? Because everyone will know the Lord.  Wow.
Isn't there that longing within all of us, to have that foundation of understanding with others... to know that we are all reading the same book, talking about the same story?  I actually think we want it so much sometimes that we fabricate something that gives us that illusion. We make up rules that allow us to communicate with each other in certain circumstances, such as the workplace, or public transportation. We even make up rules for elevators and public restrooms. Of course, the rules differ from caste to caste, place to place... but we do it out of a desperate hunger for community.  An emptiness that will be filled to overflowing when the time comes that this scripture is talking about.   And I'm not talking about some kind of horrible Borg assimilation... I'm just talking about us each knowing, without question, that God is there... and knowing him well.  Just that.

Almost anything, if we all knew it beyond question, would change our sense of oneness... but *this* knowledge... the absolute surety of God... that would seal us together as a community as nothing else could.  I think because that knowledge brings hope, and the knowledge that we are all brothers and sisters... that life has more meaning that we dream of.  Just having something amazing happen and hearing someone say "God is great" and being able to reply, "Yes, he is." :) Walking down the street and knowing that you have that one thing in common with everyone else.  That we are all children of God, and we know it. I can't even imagine how amazing it will be.  Something to look forward to... and live for... today.

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