Savoring God

One challenge I faced in creating this course is the tendency for theology to be academic.

Of course, we want to be precise, clear, and faithful in how we talk about God. But at some point, our language becomes so abstract and heavenly that there is no connection to our lives.

By contrast, I attempted to write this course in the spirit of worship. In particular, the worship of meditation on who God is.

What is Biblical meditation? Or, if you prefer, savoring God?

J.I. Packer says:

Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. > > Its effect is ever to humble us, as we contemplate God's greatness and glory and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us—"comfort" us, in the old, strong, Bible sense of the word—as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I struggled to hold on to this attitude as I prepared each lesson. In doing so, I realized this is the struggle of worshiping God in my life every day!

The easiest way through the First Love course would be to take it as a student who wants to learn information. But I want to invite you to participate as a worshipper who wants to savor God.

Will you join me in seeking to know God, just so we might love him more?