To Know Him Not

DEVOTION

ROMANS

TO KNOW HIM NOT

Rom 1:21-23

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
NIV

Certainly a continuation of thought from the preceding verse and devotion “to know him” is this statement. The danger here of course is to just think of these people and not consider the possible actions of myself. It is possible for one to know God, to see His invisible qualities, to experience His eternal power and be guided by His divine nature, but not to glorify Him and give Him thanks? How can we become futile in our thinking, and allow our hearts to be darkened? Is it the same thing as having our mirror so clouded we do not reflect him to the world? Do we always point to those men who once were high in the kingdom realm and fell into immorality becoming headlines to the world, and not consider how we, even in much smaller ways, might become the same? Having some form of Godliness, thinking we are doing the right things, going to church, Sunday morning and Night, attending Sunday school and Wednesday night midweek services, going to a small group, and even giving in the offering. If we begin to think these actions, these outward sights of righteousness are what make us holy and acceptable to God our thinking has indeed become futile and foolish which certainly will allow our hearts to become darkened.
Can we claim to have knowledge, quote the scriptures, even chapter and verse, expounding on the meaning, but in reality becoming fools. Can we actually exchange the glory of God for the things of the world? Can we become so distracted by just making a living, collecting worldly objects, objects we place so much value upon, guarding them from others with locks, alarms, secret passwords and such, all the while thinking of being a good steward? Careful my heart, never, ever allow myself to believe what I have is mine, it all belongs to God. He gives and He can take away, what I have is simple on loan for a short time because of His great love. I praise your name, I give you Glory, and I thank you daily for who you are and what you have done and are doing for me, in me, and through me.