Without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God. Our wisdom, insofar as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. ~John Calvin
I remember being in elementary school and having those first thoughts of realizing that I was a human being. Those moments when you are sitting back and realize that you live on a planet and that awesome feeling of being one of millions of people. I am me, born to my parents, in this place, in this time in history and you feel both alive and small at the same time. When you think about all the millions of people who live now and who have lived before you, it is kind of an amazing feeling to be part of this life. When I began thinking about how God fits into this puzzle, I began thinking of all the times that I have felt God moving and stirring in my own life. I thought about all the signs that I had seen, all the moments when I felt God encouraging me, and how I felt like God has never left my side. The reality that God does this for every person on this planet literally stops me in my tracks to think about. How awesome is this God that can have a relationship with millions and millions of people through all time and all creation and have that same time and love for little me? It is almost unbelievable.
This wisdom by John Calvin helps us understand that in order to understand God that we need to have an understanding of ourselves. We cannot begin to comprehend the awesomeness of God without some knowledge of who we are. Our very existence and awareness in this world depends on these two essential pieces: knowing ourselves and knowing God. And, which one comes first, remains a mystery but a beautiful one to behold.
Prayer
Awesome God, thank you for the gift of self-awareness and the gift of you. As we strive to understand ourselves in this world, we learn more about you. The magnitude of your power and love are amazing to behold. Help us to understand more and more each day who we are and see the beauty of you. Amen.