What do I know of Holy

I’ve watched this movie a few times this week called ‘Magdalena, Released from Shame’ (It is put out by the same people who produced the Jesus film). I’ve been watching it in Kurdish and English to prepare me to watch it with a local friend this weekend. It is the story of Mary Magdalene, but it is so much more than that, I was really pleasantly surprised by it. Mary tells the story of Jesus’ life from her point of view and tells how her own story is intertwined in the life of Jesus. She talks a lot about the women Jesus touched and his ministry among women. It struck me so hard living in this culture where women are such second-class citizens and the culture back in Jesus’ day was not so different from this and yet he so radically and compassionately broke the rules to reach out to women around him. She also tells the story of Jesus in the context of the whole Bible and talks about the Old Testament prophets (many of which Christianity and Islam share) and how Jesus is the fulfillment of all of these promises.

I know I’m kind of hormonal anyway right now, but I cried several times throughout this movie. I think besides being so stuck by Jesus’ radical love for these women, it was just realizing again that God’s glory is so huge and His relentless pursuit of His people throughout history is so compelling! I was left thinking about this song I heard several months ago and fell in love with. It is by Addison Road and is called ‘What do I know of Holy?’ The lyrics are below:

I try to hear from heaven but I talk the whole time, I think I’ve made you too small, I never fear you at all. If you touched my face would I know you, look into my eyes could I behold you?

Chorus
What do I know of you who spoke me into motion? Where have I even stood but the shore along your ocean? Are you fire are you fury, are you sacred are you beautiful? So, what do I know, what do I know of holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured you out, I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about how you were mighty to save but those were only empty words on a page, then I caught a glimpse of who you might be, the slightest hint of you brought me down to my knees

Chorus

What do I know of holy? What do I know of him who’s love will heal my shame and the god who gave life it’s name? What do I know of holy of the one who the angles praise all creation knows your name on earth and heaven above what do I know of this love?

Chorus

I was thinking last night as I was praying for many of the things I pray for daily that sometimes I behave as if I really don’t know or fear God at all. I live my life in such a small way and ask God for such small things and believe him for such small things that it seems I must really not know anything about him. I spend so much of time with God thinking about him only in the context of my life and what is immediately before me – it is SO small! This is why it is really good for me to be in the Old Testament (something I haven’t done well lately), because I forget how HUGE and eternal God’s story is and what a small part I actually have in it. I don’t feel belittled or uncared for to realize this… I actually feel really relieved and free! God’s love for those I love, for my family, for the Kurds, for the world He created, has existed eternally and I cannot do anything to change that. If anything, I can learn to love more fully through learning to love like His love. I don’t know if any of this resonates with anyone other than me. It has just been really refreshing to get a bigger glimpse of our God than my small perception. Join me in praising God for His endless love for His creation! May the world see and fully know this Love.