There are two types of the word “know” used in the Bible. The first knowing is based on something said or heard. The second knowing is based on something seen or experienced. And these two “knows” are fundamentally different. I knew that the ocean was vast before I sailed across it, but then I experienced it. I felt how small I really am in the grand scheme of things and it was humbling…something that you know but rarely get the chance to truly come to grips with. Describing in words what you experienced to someone can never do it justice. That’s why I love reading Paul’s story.Paul was a zealot. He basically was the man as far as keeping the law went. Paul knew all the right answers about God, but he didn’t know Him until he had an experience with God that changed his life. Paul was transformed from a persecutor of the church to one of the greatest Christians of all time. You can almost see the desperation in Paul’s words as he tries to share his experience with others. In Romans 12, Paul writes, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Can’t you just see Paul telling the scribe to underline “urge” three times for emphasis.
Paul gets it. He understands God’s mercy because he sees where he was and where he is now. He realizes that without the grace and mercy of God, he would be hopelessly condemned. You can feel the passion in Paul's words like he knew something no one else did. And because of his revelation, he did. Paul knew God in a different way that the Romans knew God. I want to know God like Paul did. I want to experience God in a way that causes me to unselfishly offer my body as a living sacrifice to the One who gave me life.
