THE KNOWLEDGE THAT BRINGS PEACE

 

January 16, 2024



Isaiah 55:9

"For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”



One of the teachings that we encounter throughout the Bible is that God is unlimited in knowledge, and humans, not so much. Our verse today says that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than any human ways and thoughts. This reality though does not keep us from an unquenchable, almost ravenous desire for knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and information. That is a good thing.

Here is the thing, when I was younger, as a young graduate, I lived by an assumption that the more learning, the more knowledge, that I acquired would result in a peace of mind. Yet, that is not what I experienced. Psychologists have concluded that with more information comes what they’ve coined “information overload”. “Information Overload” rather than bringing peace of mind, they say it brings irritability, sleeplessness, shortened attention spans, and it diminishes our ability to concentrate and make decisions, among other negative effects. Any of those sound familiar?

I believe we all know this to be accurate, think of the information that was daily bombarding us during the pandemic, or presently the information coming at us from “War Zones” in our world, or from politicians who advocate their economic or environmental policies are the only way forward, or doom awaits. I do not know what it is like for you, but for me, wading through the deluge of opinion, information, and knowledge, creates a genuine lack of peace deep in my spirit.

Here is what I have found in my pursuit for knowledge, that what does bring peace of mind is, rather than seeking to know more, I moved toward a pursuit, a seeking to know more of the One who knows all, whose ways and thoughts are higher than mine. Do not misunderstand me, I still have a thirst for knowledge, I am a student to the core, but when I reordered things to pursue the one who knows all things, I have found a "quickening of my mind" and  I have experienced the fulfillment of the beautiful words of promise in Isaiah 26:3 that "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

So, I wonder what it might be like for us if we were to trade our insatiable desire for human knowledge, a listening to the voices around us, to a hungry and thirsty desire to know God. Proverbs 9:10 instructs us that: “The fear (awe, "holy Wow") of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

"Now this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."  ---- Jesus 

John 17:3