“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
One morning not too long ago I had the urge to grab a tape measure and measure the distance between my head and my heart. 22 inches.
“What does that mean Lord?” I asked.
“That is the difference between what you know in your head and what you know in your heart.”
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies and I am working on my Master’s. Thus far I have seven years of studying and pounding out acres of papers, reports, and tests. I read scores of pages every week in my textbooks and have taken numerous studies of books of the Bible. I’ve dug into words and context and history and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve learned about the Bible, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, creation, Israel, the Church, prophecy, doctrine, apologetics, theology, eschatology, ecclesiology, Christology, – and yes, even algebra. None of that makes me an expert – far from it. In fact, I’ve barely scratched the surface. Still, all that knowledge does me no good if it just sits in my head and never reaches my heart. It’s like a seed lying dormant on the surface rather than under the ground where it can put down roots and grow strong.
I used to think it was enough to learn all I could know about God, but I’m finding that when it’s all head-knowledge, it doesn’t move my heart – and my heart is what God is after. My heart is where change happens. So how do I make all this knowledge transition from my head to my heart? Honestly, that’s a work of the Holy Spirit. But I do have some responsibilities, such as coming to study the Bible with an attitude of humility and inviting the Spirit to teach me, then meditating on what He has revealed. Oh, and then living it out. It’s the practical application of the Scripture that makes it take root in my heart.
Twenty-two inches isn’t much on a tape measure, but it is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God. I’m not satisfied with a head full of knowledge anymore. I want to know God with all my heart. How about you, Beloved?
Deeper Roots 