Is God the Father Knowable?

[Murph]

Have been following a conversation on another MB. It is secular but has a religion forum. A poster asked others to share stories about God answering their prayers.

An athiest posted and asked why God answers small prayers yet lets a child die, starve, be molested. The athiest said they have a very difficult time imaging a god who would find it important enough to directly influence very minor events yet not stop the suffering of innocents.

A Baptist preacher replies and in the body of his reply states that he believes God to be a mystery, and is, in many ways, unknowable.

I have been pondering that question. Is God the Father knowable?

Deuteronomy 4:29 is the verse I keep thinking about...

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

[Keith]

Amen. But God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), therefore bad things can happen to the saved and unsaved alike:

"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)

So why do the bad things happen? To help us grow in Him:

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

That Baptist preacher must surely be aware of the path to salvation Jesus Himself told Thomas:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

And that by knowing this path was also the path revealed to knowing the Father:

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him..." (John 14:7)

And then Jesus admonished Philip for not realizing that by seeing Jesus, one has seen the Father also:

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father..." (John 14:9)

Can we know God the Father? Absolutely, by knowing God the Son!

[Murph]

This man cited 1 Corinthians 13 as the basis for his statement, thru a glass darkly. In some respects he is right. With our limited brain power we don't realize the power and scope of our God but we can and do know Him.

I have seen His strength in a hurricane and in the cry of a baby, felt His love in a hug from a friend and kisses from my grandchildren, Heard His voice in a humming birds wings and flown with Him as on eagles wings gliding in my back yard swing. I have walked with Him most of my life whether I realized He was next to me or not.

I have come to call Him Abba.
Father.

Regardless of what anybody says, we can know the Father by coming to know His only Son. For all that I am eternally grateful to Him. Amen.

[Keith]

Amen! That's beautiful Marilyn...