November is  a month for writers. You may be familiar with NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo through BlogHer, where eager wordsmiths dedicate time each day to write, with the goal to complete a novel or at least post daily on their blogs. Encouraged by some writing friends, I am joining with the many to write words of purpose with a special project that I have been wanting to complete. This project: For my Daughters, A letter of Grace,  is a series of letters I began writing to my daughters to speak words of hope, love, and grace in their lives as they grow and face the challenges life always presents.  These words are an invitation to give yourself grace and to rest in the sweet embrace of God’s love for you. You see, we are all daughters who need to be reminded that we are seen, we are heard, we are loved, and we matter.  It is an invitation to read my heart and I’d love to have you, my friends, along for the journey.

knowledge of the holy one

“But thanks be unto God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.”

– 2 Corinthians 2:14

So many times I find myself wondering if there was only one thing that I could tell you, one single most important piece of advice…. what would it be?  I know you would find it hard to believe, since advice seems to roll off of my tongue with ease and frequency.  I am sure it feels like all I do is tell you what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, what you can do, what you can’t do, etc.

But this is different. This is that one thing that you can carry with you. You know, forever.

These letters are an invitation to read the thoughts of my heart towards you. Even more, they are a collection of the thoughts I have gathered close about the Father’s heart towards you, and they matter so much.

Daughter,  that one thing, it is just two words but they are loaded with so much promise.  The best thing I could hope to convey is the necessity to truly Know God in your heart like you know your own face in a mirror, even better actually.

Yep, that simple.  Know God.

That is really what I am trying to lead you to with all the words and advice and, yes, even the rules that you feel can be restrictive.

More importantly, though, what I need to do, what you need to see is that I, too, am seeking to know God myself. Because words without action make me a bit of hypocrite, don’t they?  I know that it is easy to tell you to do one thing, but it is here, the striving to show you that I, too, want to know God in the deep places, better than my own face in a mirror, that I long to sow into you.

But, just what does it mean to know God, dear one?

The Bible tells us that we can look in the mirror and can even forget our own reflection. (James 1:24) We look and look and never see who we were made to be. Image bearers of a Holy God who created us for His good purpose, yet we make choices each day that lead us away from His will, straining every which way but the right one.

Proverbs talks about the way to wisdom starting with this knowledge of the Holy. “The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.” ( Proverbs 9:10)  This Wisdom, (with a capital ‘W’), it is referring to Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Those red-letter words are some of my favorites, sweet one. Take time to read them slowly, lingering long and pausing often.  It will be time well spent; the return will always be more than you can count.  There in that letter He left for you to read, is the road map to this Wisdom… hold it close and read it often.  Jesus, He left you with some powerful strong words about this subject. He reminded us that to see the Father was to look through Him.  To see the revelation of His love was to know He was the way, the truth, and the life. That when we pursued Christ, we would come face to face with the Father of our hearts, and be welcomed as His own.

But this here is what arrests my heart every time. Do you realize that you are also known and thoroughly understood by God?

Paul talks about this knowing God as the utmost of priorities  when he says we must lose all in order to gain Christ. We must count our losses of this world as the opportunity to gain  more knowledge of God in our hearts. We must choose to wear the  knowledge of the Holy One like an aroma that we wear in our world. Because girl.. you are an influencer and all that you do… it is for HIS glory.  Check this out:

 “But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as loss for Christ’s sake.  Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…. And that I may be found and known as in Him, not  having any righteousness that is mine own, which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness  which is of God by faith:  [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him…” Philippians 3:7-10

When Matthew 6:33 speaks to our hearts with the admonition to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, he is leading us to make the choice to choose God first.  You know that the knowledge of God is different that the knowledge about Him?   J.I. Packer said, ” A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about Him.” And that reminds me of the verse in Titus 1:16 about the false teachers and theologians who spend a lot of time talking about God and His righteousness, the rules and laws, but never once apply them to their own living. I cringe to think that in some small way I could be like that for you. Can I ask for forgiveness now, for those days when I act like I know about God rather than know of Him?

Knowledge of the Holy brings the understanding that sheds light on every single dark spot in your life and it needs to be the aroma that you share with the world daughter of the most High. Your purpose, dear one is to first know God in order that you can then make Him known to all the world.

This truth is so dear to my heart that my prayers do not cease to petition the Lord that you would Know Him deeply, intimately, and fully. Trust me when I say that the best I have to give, my greatest truest possession in this world, is to assure you that of all the treasures you could seek purposing to know God first is the grandest of all.

Contending for you, that your heart would be knit in love and the full understanding of the mystery of God.

 

A challenge to study God’s Word:

He penned a love letter to you, lots of precious words that tell you about His heart and His hope for your living.  They are the  connection we have to the Father, dear one, powerful and alive and able to bring death to life.  Don’t hesitate to spend as much time as you can resting in their wisdom, it will be the best time you have ever spent.

I challenge you to look these scriptures up and write them down in a journal, with this letter.  Spend more time with HIS Words than mine, daughter.  Let it resonate in your heart. Meditate on the promises. Make them your own. Breathe deep of His love for you and know I am praying always, never ceasing.

Philippians 3:7-10, Proverbs 9:10, Colossians 2:1 and 2:3, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 11:28, John 8:19, John 14:7 and 14:16,  Titus 1:16,  2 Corinthians 5:11, Proverbs 24:12, 2 Corinthians 2:14


For my daughters a letter of grace

If you missed one of the letters you can click on the links below to catch up.

Day 1: An Invitation to Read my Heart.

 

 

 

 

 

Linking up with friends for the journey:

Playdates with God, Words with Winter, #RaRaLinkUp, #TellHisStory,