It was April 2000 and I had arrived with my family at the Grand Canyon. The evening sun was sinking low as we stepped out into the observation spot overlooking the canyon. The scene that stretched before me actually took my breath away. Wow, the view was awesome. Photographs and even videos had not been able to capture the sights and feelings I was experiencing as the evening sun highlighted some of the distinct features of the canyon walls.

As we made our way back to the motel where we were spending the night, that sense of awe that I had experienced overlooking the canyon was actually surmounted by a feelings of anticipation. For this was but the beginning of our journey and in the morning we would begin our hike into the canyon.

The next morning we started early laden with our packs. The early morning sun revealed a scene equally spectacular as that we had experienced the evening before. But this time we only paused at the lookout and plunged down the trail beginning the adventure that awaited us.

I won’t take time here to tell all of the details of our trek in and out of the canyon. It wasn’t always easy, but it was fun, exciting, adventurous, educational, awe inspiring, and beautiful. It was a much broader experience than if we had just viewed it from the observation posts. Sure it took effort, sometimes strenuous. There also was the need for words of encouragement at times. Sometimes the stronger ones had to lighten the load for the weaker ones. But through it we grew.

Two days later we slowly made our way back to the rim of the canyon. The canyon had not changed, it was still awe inspiringly magnificent. But we had changed. We had experienced the canyon. We could look down and point out the place we had camped the night before. We had experienced the climactic changes that descending down 5000 feet of elevation can bring. We had accomplished what we had set out to do and we were the better for it.

I share this experience with you to illustrate a spiritual truth.  For when we begin to realize who God is we are overwhelmed.  Our first contact with the grace of God, salvation from sin, and the promise of eternal life it is like first stepping onto that viewpoint and surveying the Grand Canyon. It is awesome. Wow, Oh, Wow. We feel like we could just stay right here for it is just so awesome.

You know if we got in our car and drove a mile or two we could get out at another viewpoint and see another view of the canyon. We would again be awestruck. We could imagine what it was like when God carved this canyon. How the water must have ripped through here as the flood receded. We could try to imagine hiking the entire canyon on foot or floating down its length by boat. From our viewpoints all this would be incomprehensible. It would be beyond our ability to comprehend.
Yet this is where many Christians stand or sit. I have seen vast stadiums full of them as if they are sitting on the edge of the canyon saying, “Wow, Oh, Wow. Isn’t God awesome. His grace and love are incomprehensible”.

And I have wondered, How many of these people will actually venture into that awesomeness? They sit on the brink of life itself and are reveling in its beauty. For many of them it may be more than just a view, for they are beginning to experience the essence of life itself and have given themselves to it. But this is just the beginning. God is asking them to enter in to this life. Prepare yourself, leave the viewpoint and enter into the life God has for you in Christ Jesus. The details of this life are laid out for us in scripture, but we need to go and walk that walk, step by step.
It bothers me when it seems like some of those who preach the gospel don’t offer more encouragement for people to enter into the life that they have experienced only from the viewpoints. Shouldn’t there be a sign saying, You’ re going to miss it if you don’t leave the viewpoint and enter in? The Scripture is actually full of those signs, but many people only get the cut and paste version. Jesus instructed us to preach the gospel, but then we are to disciple them, teaching them all the things He commanded. I believe Paul was careful in regards to this command.

“For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Ac 20:27 AV)

“Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Ac 20:31 AV)

As we finished climbing out of the canyon that day and passed the viewpoint, it was obvious which people had been into the canyon and which ones hadn’t. Those that hadn’t looked like they had had an easier day than we had, but I wouldn’t have traded my experience for theirs. The canyon still contained a vast amount of territory that we had not experienced. In our two days in it we had only scratched the surface, but we had comprehended so much more than those who never left the viewpoint.

Just like when we were following the path into the canyon, there will be times in our Christian life when we won’t have an overall view of where we are or where we are going, but we have a map and if we follow it we cannot go wrong. Occasionally in our Christian life we will have high points, times when God leads us to those viewpoints. But God’s purpose will never be fulfilled in our lives if we try to hop from viewpoint to viewpoint. For most of life will remain incomprehensible to us. Most of what God wants to teach us is found in following His leading, step by step, following His Word, inspired and empower by His Spirit, in obedience simply trusting Him.

That doesn’t mean we won’t be tempted to stand in awe when we are privileged to stand on one of those viewpoints and want to just stay right there. Jesus disciples went through the terrible experience of Jesus crucifixion and death, only to be brought to the most glorious experience of His ascension into heaven. Can you imagine? Can we really imagine the awesomeness of watching Jesus being taken up in the clouds of glory? Is it any wonder God had to have an angel bring them back to earth? Can we really comprehend what they had just witnessed?

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.” (Ac 1:9-12 AV)

When we glimpse our creators majesty, we glance into the heavens, are confronted with the love of God as seen through Jesus, we are awe struck. It is all so vastly beyond our comprehension. But we cannot stop here and succumb to our tendency to be overwhelmed by the fact that it is so far beyond us. God is beaconing us to step forward and he will hold our hand. Just to know that God is bigger than what we can imagine is not enough. Everything about God is incomprehensible to us in the beginning, but He doesn’t want it to remain that way. We will never fully comprehend all there is about God, that aspect will remain incomprehensible. But God wants us to get to know Him. Who He is, who we are, where He would like to bring us, and how we can partner with Him. That is going to take some effort on our part. To start with we have to trust Him. We have to die to self. We have to be born again. But it doesn’t end there. And we will find that the farther we venture into the life Christ offers us the more effort it is going to take on our part.

I’m afraid that this is where we lose a lot of people. As a babe in Christ it seems like everything has been done for you, and most of it has. As with my trip into the canyon I will not get into great detail about all that is included, for that would take a lot of time and space. But you must be made aware of the fact that God never intended for us to remain at the viewpoint. There is a path to follow for us to really experience the Life he has granted us. It is not always easy, but it is good. It is directed to this purpose that we all grow in the grace granted us to the end that we be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. Gradually as God leads us through the educational process the incomprehensible becomes comprehensible and we grow in knowledge and understanding.

“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph 3:16-21 AV)

Don’t be overwhelmed by the incomprehensible, seek to comprehend all that God has for you to know. Leave the viewpoint, follow the path, trust God, step by step, day by day, and He will bring it to pass.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.  Eph. 3:19

The path I am encouraging you to take, you will not walk alone. This is the place where God will walk with you because you are going His way. What you will experience I cannot explain to you in words because it is beyond the scope of knowledge.  Knowing the love of God is more than just knowledge, but also includes a spiritual interaction between you and your creator.  You will experience God. You will get to know Him. You will know His love, and that is an intimate experience that can’t be expressed in words. But you will know it.

Bob Gunderson