Canst Thou by Searching Find Out God?
F.B. Meyer emphasizes that while we cannot fully understand God through intellect, we can know Him through love and the revelation of Jesus Christ.
F.B. Meyer explores the profound question of whether we can truly understand God through our intellect, concluding that it is impossible for humans to fully grasp His glory and mystery. He emphasizes that while we cannot find God through searching, we can know Him through love, as true understanding comes from a heart that loves and trusts Him. Meyer encourages believers to seek a deep relationship with Christ, who reveals the nature of God, and to embrace the simplicity of faith akin to that of a child. Ultimately, he asserts that God desires to be known not through our intellect but through our love and obedience.
Text
Canst thou by searching find out God? Job xi. 7.
THERE is but one answer to that question. No one can. The very angels veil their faces before the insufferable glory of his face.
"The firstborn sons of light
Desire in vain his depths to see;
They cannot reach the mystery,
The length, and breadth, and height.
Do not be surprised, then, if there should be matters in the Bible, in your own life, and in the Providential government of the world, which baffle your thought. Remember you are only a little child in an infant class, and it is not likely that you can comprehend the whole system of your instructor. God would cease to be God to us, if we by searching could find Him out.
But though we cannot find out God by the searching of the intellect, we may know Him by love. "He that loveth, knoweth God; for God is Love." There is a way of knowing God, which is hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed to babes. Seek to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Let Christ dwell deep in your heart by faith. Take care to obey all his commandments, and then the Holy God will come into you, and abide. He will give you Himself, and you will know Him as a little child knows its parent, whom it cannot grasp with its mind, but loves and trusts and knows with its heart. We cannot find out God by searching, but we can by loving.
We can also find Him in the character and life of Jesus. He that hath seen Him hath seen the Father; why then ask to be shown the Father? "What is Thy name, 0 mystery of strength and beauty?" "Shiloh, Rest‑Giver," is the deep response.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to the question of finding God
- The limitations of human understanding
- The role of angels in God's presence
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II
- The mystery of God's nature
- The child's perspective on God
- The importance of humility in seeking God
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III
- Knowing God through love
- The relationship between love and knowledge of God
- The significance of obedience to God's commandments
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IV
- Finding God in the character of Jesus
- Jesus as the revelation of the Father
- The comfort of knowing God as 'Rest-Giver'
Key Quotes
“He that loveth, knoweth God; for God is Love.” — F.B. Meyer
“We cannot find out God by searching, but we can by loving.” — F.B. Meyer
“He that hath seen Him hath seen the Father.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- Seek to deepen your relationship with God through acts of love and obedience.
- Approach the mysteries of faith with humility, recognizing our limitations.
- Look to Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God's character and nature.