“The other day,” Stan began, “I was reminded of the old joke about ignorance and apathy.”
“The one,” I replied, “about which is worse, ignorance or apathy?”
“That’s right,” Stan said, “And, as you know, the answer is, ‘I don’t know and I don’t care!’”
“What made you think about that?” I asked.
“I was again focusing on John’s gospel,” Stan replied, “where Jesus said that eternal life is about knowing Him and God the Father.”
“What does that have to do with the joke?” I asked.
“Not being apathetic about my ignorance,” Stan replied.
Continuing, he added, “Not only do I think that I’m to pursue knowing God as deeply as possible, I’m to be open and admit to Him that I don’t know what I don’t know.”
“Admitting that you don’t know what you don’t know?” I said. “What’s that all about?”
“As we’ve talked about before,” Stan replied, “I believe that if I ever get to the point of thinking I know God as well as I need to know Him I will be off base and heading in the wrong direction. I am to pursue knowing Him, as the Father, as the Son, and as the Holy Spirit, as deeply as humanly possible for as long as I’m here.”
Continuing, he added, “And I think an essential part of pursuing that knowledge is a frank admission that I don’t know what I don’t know.”
“Like asking God to show you what you don’t know?” I replied.
“Exactly!” Stan said. “I begin each day alone with God seeking to know Him better. At the beginning of that time, I tell God I want to know Him more deeply. I admit to Him that I don’t know what I don’t know, and I ask Him to open me to see what He has for me to see, know, and understand.”
“It’s an admission,” he continued, “that I’m ignorant and that I’m not apathetic about having that ignorance removed in accordance with what God has for me to know about Him.”
“How will you ever know that you have learned as much about God as you can?” I asked.
“When I board the train,” Stan replied, “that will be the end of my opportunity to know God more deeply here. So, in that respect, my boarding the train will be the time when I have learned as much as I can on this side. Until then, I am to keep on learning!”
“But,” he added, “I also believe that when I get off the train and I’m in God’s eternal presence, that will be when I will know Him as deeply as possible for the rest of eternity!”
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And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight.” Luke 10:21.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you allow me to pursue knowing you, your Son, and the Holy Spirit while you keep me on this side of eternity. It is a great privilege to know you more deeply and more intimately. Please help me in following your lead so I freely admit I do not even know what I don’t know. Please, Father, build in me the desire to know you as well as is possible while I wait to step into your eternal presence in heaven where I will truly know you forever. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Do you think it’s possible to know God? Why or why not? If it is possible, how well do you know Him? Do you think He wants you to know Him more deeply? Why or why not? Are you willing to admit that you don’t know what you don’t know about God? Have you ever opened a present only to find another present that needs to be unwrapped? And then another? Pursuing knowing God is kind of like that. Keep opening His presents to gain His presence!
Waiting for the Train 