Galatians 4:9. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” — C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
But does Jesus actually consider our desires to be too weak? Paul would seem to agree. The Apostle accuses us of turning back to enslavement to those “weak and worthless elementary principles” rather than basking in the surf, sand, and sun of being “known by God.”
“Knowledge” was a big deal in Paul’s day. Many Greeks believed that the path to union with the Logos (the ultimate, yet impersonal, life principle) came through hidden knowledge that only some would obtain. This idea crept into Christianity in the form of Gnosticism (gnosis = to know). Gnostics said Jesus came to reveal this secret knowledge to us. But according to John the Apostle, Jesus didn’t just come to reveal secret knowledge or the Logos—He is the knowledge. He is the Logos (John 1:1). And He is no secret. Through Jesus, everyone can know God.
Paul agrees. His statement that we “know God”—and even better, that we are “known by God”—challenges Gnostic thinking with a Jewish concept. In Jewish thinking, to “know” someone is to have an intimate relationship with them. It goes way beyond the intellect. It is the entire self that is claimed by God. In Christ, we are known by God. Loved by God. Possessed by God. Formed by God.
Why did God send His Son? Why did He send His Spirit into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”? He did it so that He could know us. That is, not just know about us intellectually; He already knows everything about us. Rather, what He really desires is to know us experientially by literally sharing our lives with us. And this “being known by God” is not only our greatest need, but also our greatest desire.
Back to Lewis—are we too easily pleased? Are we settling for knowing about God, instead of embracing being known intimately by God as His children? God wants to know us so deeply that He connected His life to ours, His Spirit to our spirit. By the indwelling life of Christ, we are not only saved, we are truly known. And still, we are loved. Don’t settle for anything less.
You: Do you know God? Are you known by God? What is the difference?
You in Christ: How does union with Christ allow us to be fully known by God?
Christ in you: What does being known by God allow you to confront today?
Pray: Father, I am far too easily pleased. I settle for knowing about You instead of being known by You. Let me live in this deep love today. Amen.
