To have a continually growing knowledge of the greatness of God requires a trinity of insights, which the Holy Spirit is ready to give to those who seek them in Jesus.
First is seeing more of the makeup of God through His Word and His work in our lives. His beautiful, sparkling character is like a huge, multifaceted, perfectly cut diamond. If we were to set such a diamond in a stand on a table, it would be marvelous and majestic in its greatness and intricacy as it caught and reflected the light of the room. So it is as we delve into the Word and see more and more of God’s person.
Second is a growing knowledge of our natural depravity as we stand in the light of His presence. If we were to drape a black velvet cloth under and behind the diamond of God’s character, the contrast would bring out more powerfully the richness of His beauty.
So a growing understanding of the depravity of our flesh[1] shows us more clearly and deeply the wonder of a God who is holy, hates and judges sin, and yet loves and redeems sinners at great personal cost. We cannot begin to grasp the expense, the wonder, the power, the beauty of God’s love if we forget where He has brought us from; no, we need a growing understanding of what we were and what our flesh is.
Third is a growing revelation of how much we are forgiven, how much we are loved and delighted in by God. If we were to set up a focused spotlight to shine directly on the diamond of God’s character with it’s backdrop of black velvet, even more beauty would be revealed: inner facets that before were invisible would be brought to light. The effect would be stunningly, brilliantly, powerfully overwhelming.
So we, in the unpleasant understanding of our depravity and the resulting grasp of how much we are forgiven and loved, can focus the light of praise on God’s greatness. We can exalt Him for pouring out on us His wonderful forgiveness, His rich love, His healing grace and His abundant goodness. We can grasp more of how much we are undeservedly accepted, loved and delighted in. We see more of how much He has poured upon us His deep love, warm delight and constant care.
Then we will be given new and astounding understanding of His character, leading to further transformation of our character to become more like His. The diamond will then shine forth more powerfully, giving us further reason to love, worship, praise and obey Him.
[1] As Paul walked with Jesus, he grew in his understanding of the depravity of his flesh, going calling himself in his earlier writings the “least of the Apostles”(1 Cor 15:9), then seeing himself as the least of the saints in his middle years (Eph 3:8), then in his old age understanding that he was the “worst of sinners.” (1 Tim 1:15)
