Fully Known

February. What comes to mind when you think about February? I bet the word “love” pops in your head eventually. Oh, that four letter word, L. O. V. E.

I love to talk about the word love! So, let’s pretend we are sitting in a cute little coffee shop, sipping coffee and sharing our hearts with one another. (Side Note: C. O. F. F. E. E. is another way to spell love, you know?)

The world will feed you a lot of conflicting ideas about love. Sometimes the church (as a global body) can... And you know what? I probably will too! I wish I could easily explain what love is, just let it all pour out on this screen.  What love really does... what love really looks like. But I come up against an obstacle.

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but this verse is fully loaded, no? Reading this just gets my heart excited! Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Amen? Amen!

I think about this verse and focus in on the word mirror. I can’t imagine that in biblical times the mirrors they used were as crystal-clear as the ones we have today. I suspect it was harder to see your reflection in the glass that they used. Imagine looking at your reflection in a pool of water. You can basically make out what you are looking at but no matter how hard you squint, some parts are still dim, maybe faded or even missing.

It’s like that with many things we try to understand, isn’t it? Right now, we do not fully see. The big picture is dim. Sure we can put the pieces together and imagine what something will be, but we do not fully know. So this leaves me with a conviction. I am convinced that if we could fully know, if we could truly see God’s love for us, we wouldn’t get tripped up on all the things we get tripped up on.

And the truth in all this, the hope? WE are fully KNOWN. Right now. Right where you are. YOU, my sweet sister, are fully known by the God of the Universe! Isn’t that something to rejoice over!?  

FULLY KNOWN.

That truth is astounding! I just can’t wrap my mind around it. But it is something I know I want, like I could reach out and touch it. I think every woman wants that, to be fully known.

If you’re like me it is difficult to accept that gift. We see now as if we are staring at our blurred reflection in a hazy mirror. We know it’s there, we can see the outline but we can’t quite take hold of it. We struggle to see it clearly. So we search for a piece of clear glass, thinking that it will repair our vision. We go looking to the wrong things to help us see clearly and all it does it fog up the glass even more.

But God says you will see face to face, you will know fully. Let us visit that scripture again and look at what follows to conclude the chapter. I like the Message translation of this verse and I think it will help paint a beautiful picture.

“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us! But for now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (MSG)

Cling to love! No matter how dim things seem, cling to love. And if the sun is bright, cling to love! This verse makes me want to wrap up the little faith and trust I have in a box and protect it as it grows, like the invaluable gift that it is.

We see now like in a mirror, dimly. But then! Then, we will see face to face. Sweet sisters, cling to this truth. That you are fully known right now and that one day (before you know it) you will know God just as he knows you! Isn’t that good news?!

I like to give assignments, lol! This week look up the word ‘known’, read what the definition means and think about what it means to be fully known by the God who created you. Then, throughout the week look for ways that God is showing you that you are fully known by Him! Oh, that’s exciting!!!

Post by: Jimmie Lee