Relationship
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
It’s just a weed in a field. Most will pass by without noticing. But open the aperture and see that it has a certain beauty. Its own glory tells a story of its Maker and his glory. Treat a ‘Thing’ with regard, and you might apprehend something wondrous.
In the 1920s, Martin Buber shared two ways of relating: I-It and I-Thou. I-It relationships involve objects kept at a distance, observed, categorized, and used. I-Thou (I-You) relationships are with subjects; they are close, more respectful, and empathetic. Both sides of an I-You relationship have something to offer and receive. A gracious exchange.
Buber’s message applies to all kinds of knowing relationships. But for now, consider your relationship with God. To know about God is to operate in the I-It mode. We are collecting facts, organizing categories, and developing theological systems. But eternal life is found in the I-Thou mode. It’s in knowing God, not just knowing about him (John 17:3). And to know well, I must first love—give the gift of my self.
Both modes have their place. The I-Thou mode, alone, can drift into sentimentality. We can easily remake God into a teddy-bear-like god. We regularly need to be reminded that God is who he says he is, as revealed in Scripture and in Jesus Christ. But far too often, this is the extent of our relationship. We keep God at a safe distance to support a sense of self-righteousness and a rightness in argument. By contrast, an I-Thou relationship with God is like a burning fire. A blaze of love that compels humility, repentance, and worship. This is eternal life.
Observe how much of your God talk is about him. And then how much is directed to him? How many of our songs are about God? I-It songs. And how many are I-Thou songs—songs from the heart expressing love, devotion, brokenness, and repentance? We need both, but life is in the I-Thou.