A vent on being "known by God"...

[Peter Debelak]

Acts 17:26 And He made from one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, determining beforehand their appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwelling, (27) That they might seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, even though He is not far from each one of us”

I don’t believe this is a description for the unsaved. I believe He continues to arrange our seasons that we might grope after Him (even after we think we know "His economy"). But, alas, we remain on a trajectory to stop groping: "Seeking" and "questioning" is for the uninitiated. When we find God in dynamic experience, we quickly follow the habits into being certain we KNOW God and what He is after. We treat his Word as a “how-to” instead of as logos and rhema
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I was struck by a “hiccup” of Paul’s recently. He is perplexed by the Galatians, who – having begun in Spirit – are following the outward standards of men - albeit in the service of God.

He begins to ask a question – “But now that you now God…”
But he stops himself. That is not what he wanted to say. There is something wrong with saying it that way. So he amends (and given the reality that he had no eraser, we get to see the adjustment to his own thought):

“Or rather, are known by God…”
(Galations 4:9)

The context of his question is why have they become enslaved by the standards of men, when they began in Spirit (Galations 3).

Why does he switch from “now that you know God” to “you are known by God.”

In the context of his argument to the Galations, it seems to me obvious.

Because the Galations, and those whispering in their ears, were claiming “knowledge of God’s will.” The pursuit to “know God” leads us to unconsciously “achieve our goal.” After dynamic experience, it doesn’t take much for us to self-convince that we “know God” and what He wants of us. It often involves some version of a dietary law or perhaps a city boundary.
But while “to know God” can breed self-delusion to believe the standards of men, “that you are known BY GOD” – it cuts to the quick. It is both liberating and condemning. Liberating because an honest human experience would admit that we feel alienated. It’s why we do the stupid social things we do. To be completely known – in all our secrets – is liberating. You are who you are, and you can begin there – not with some delusional notion of yourself, but just as you are, broken as you are.

Its also condemning – because your methods of “convincing” those around you that you “know God” and you comport with “God’ will” – well, they don’t fly. Your heart is “known by God.” All those feeble attempts to connect on supposed “Scriptural grounds” with someone with more spiritual authority than you – well, you’re exposed. You are KNOWN BY GOD. It’s all exposed. You can’t hide or contort or assuage. You have to be honest.

Perhaps, it seems to me Paul is arguing, if you are honest in the face of being completely known and therefore exposed as the broken being you are, you might grope after Him in whatever form that might take.

Rather than re-asserting your assurance of how well you “know God.”

What sort of posture or humility is required (and how do you get there) in order to still be open to “grope after God,” despite being able to articulate God’s eternal economy or, more difficult, the administration of God’s economy? Is there any room left for groping??? Perhaps the knowledge that we are completely “known by God” strips away the BS in our honest moments and leaves us bare and seeking…

Can we, when we recognize that every nuance of our hearts are known, start to begin to say "I don't know?" And then have to proceed in faith?