If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8.

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Philippians 2:9-10.

I had the amazing privilege this past weekend of attending a women’s retreat titled aptly Counting It All Joy. So much was gleaned but at the close, we partook in a communion service that was different and enabled me to experience what it meant personally between me and Jesus, the Son, Creator God. We had a square of special paper. We wrote on that paper our sorrows or pains or need. As we wrote, our facilitator spoke quietly about Jesus at the Last Supper. He took the bread and broke it and held it up and said, “This is My body, broken for you.” Then He took the cup and said, “This is My blood, poured out for you.” I gave Him my sorrows…He gave me Himself. Then we silently took our paper square, put it into a bowl and poured a little water on it and it started to disappear. We took a small piece of a loaf of bread, a measure of juice, and another square of paper with two names written from a list of people we are praying for in our home church. We returned to our own seats, ate the bread, drank the juice and then prayed quietly for the two names before us that they would come to know how much Creator God loves them. I don’t know the people on my square of paper and that matters not. That’s why Jesus came as He did and died as He did…for you and for me and for all of us who so need His love saving us. I think that’s what that third Scripture verse represents. When every person will finally understand the love of Creator God and in deep love, will bow in reverence and worship Him who gave Himself in so great a Love for us…our Creator.

And in our chapter, Acts 14, we see the joy of understanding and the opposition to that understanding. As it is today. In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. v. 1-3. I had to read that verse 5 times slowly to grasp what is said…with reliance upon the Lord…who was testifying…to the word of His grace…granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to preach the gospel. At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. v. 4-13. Can we appreciate when all people will truly know Creator God? When there will be no more confusion. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifices to them. v. 14-18. Can you imagine how intense these events were? One minute they’re trying to call them gods and another day Paul is being stoned and left for dead, v. 19-20. There is so much confusion in a world broken by idols and lies. They kept going. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples. v. 21-28. We can read these verses and chapters as one story, but how many years passed as these events were happening? They traveled by foot, they sailed as passage was possible. Teaching happened over time.

One of the exercises we experienced at the retreat, showed us how easy it is for us to zoom in and see only a small part of a whole picture; and in that small part we miss the zoomed out reality that makes sense only when all is shown. We don’t have the big picture…only Creator God sees everything. The early church had their small part of the whole, as has every age of mankind. What changes today are we missing because we are so focused on our one small view? They are real and happening and one day, by design, one blessed day, we will see and understand the beautiful whole of Creation and God’s working for us. Can you imagine the joy as we kneel and bow and worship so great a Love? Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion…Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1, 5-11. Until that blessed day, to know and love Creator God today is to experience Joy that the Holy Spirit gives in abundance…for that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit…encouragement in Christ…consolation of love…fellowship of the Spirit…affection and compassion…we give Him our sorrows, fears, pains, doubts…He gives us Himself that we can know Him…and in knowing and loving Him, our experiences of loving others expands and grows until we all worship Him together in love and trust…until we are Home in Him together.