Christian theology in a Sudanese context. Theology is to be considered and experienced.
The study of the characteristics and attributes of God is dull to those who don’t know God personally, but it is delightful to those who do know Him. People who are alive to God have an appetite to know Him more deeply. Psalm 63:1 begins,“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; ..” The writer has an awareness that God is there, which is why he says “O God”. He also has an assurance in knowing God personally, “You are my God”. Yet this assurance is still not the end. It leads forward into having an appetite to know God even better. He prays “Earnestly I seek You”. I sometimes asked my students at Gereif West why they wanted breakfast at the end of the second class today when they had already had a breakfast yesterday. After some laughter they would realise that their appetite to eat daily bread and foule was one good sign that they were alive and healthy. When Christians have no desire to know God any more than they do already,I usually wonder whether they really are spiritually alive. They are certainly not spiritually healthy. In Philippians 3:7-12 Paul writes of the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. But he immediately continues “I want to know Christ”, verse 10. How can he know, and yet still want to know,Jesus? All that he knows and experiences of Jesus in his life builds within him a strong desire to know and enjoy more and more. My wife, Brenda, served with me when we lived in Bahri and pastored Khartoum International Church. We have been married for 33 years. We know each other much better now than we did when we were first married in 1970. As we have lived together and shared experiences together, we have discovered more about each other. We know what pleases and displeases each other. I know how to bring her enjoyment and I also know what troubles make her afraid. Knowing your marriage partner is very important. Knowing your God is even more so. The study and enjoyment of God is the work of a lifetime.
Thinking it through.
(a). What things stop people from wanting to experience more of God?
(b). What things do the opposite – and help people get to know God as a real Friend?
(c). Are there ways we can help each other live close to God?
Share those you can think of.