Devotional & Reflection

Week 4, June 2002

Exodus 34:6; 2 Timothy 1:12: I know Whom I have Believed
By Ms S K Sio, Civil Servant & Servant of God

Exodus 34:6 "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."
2 Timothy 1:12 "….. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

What if God does not exist? What if there is no God? Fear smote my heart as these thoughts intruded into my troubled mind. I would be doomed to hell if there were no God to turn to, no God to save me from the depths of despair that struck me.

I turned quickly to Matthew 1 and Luke 3 which gave the genealogy of Jesus. Reading the long list of names in Matthew, from Abraham down to Joseph, "the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ", gave me no comfort. Neither did Luke, who traced Jesus' genealogy to Adam, "the son of God", gave me the affirmation that I sought.

I tried to push the terrifying thoughts away but to no avail. Unexpectedly, a card arrived from a friend two days later. There was no special occasion for the card, no one knew of my ordeal. Yet, the card came, bearing the words:
"I am your God.
I will strengthen you ….
I will help you."
(Isaiah 41:10)

Here was God speaking to me! There is indeed a God. He is with me. He will strengthen me, help me and uphold me. In God's presence, there is no fear. What more assurance do I need?

Knowing God exists is not just knowing about God. In my cell group meetings recently, we have been re-visiting and learning the basic scriptural truths about who God is, what He does, how He is like. Knowing God is more than knowing what the Bible says about Him.

Knowing God is to know Him personally, intimately. It is to delight in His presence each day, to open our hearts and minds to Him, knowing that He listens to even the groaning of our inner-most being. It is to trust in Him, to cast off our self-dependence, knowing that He is our refuge and our fortress, an ever-present help. It is to let go of our self-will, to desire for His will to be done, knowing that He wills the best for us.

Knowing God is to constantly fill our minds with God and the things of God. A friend once said to me, "An empty mind is the devil's workshop". We need to be vigilant to guard against forsaking the fountain of living waters. May our minds never become broken cisterns that hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). Let us, then, fill our minds with:
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report…..
(Philippians 4:8)

Praise the Lord, I know whom I have believed - God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit - the blessed Trinity.