Fall 1992

The Unknown
Charles Haun

"And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings,
and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and
when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off.
And they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear:
but let not God speak with us, lest we die" Exodus 20:18-19

At Sinai, God approached the people with manifestations which they did not understand. Therefore, they feared and refused to approach God. In our time, there are those who will approach God under certain conditions, yet indifferent circumstances, they will not.

If God always did things in ways we understood, we would more readily accept Him and His work. Usually, we are not comfortable with whatever we do not understand. For example, if we suddenly come upon a five foot bright blue creature with crumpled skin, we would not approach him. We tend to be reluctant to respond to totally strange circumstances. This is why some believers cannot readily accept unfamiliar truths.

While teaching a class in Bible school, I upset some students by saying "God demands restitution." I explained, "You should not be troubled by this statement simply because it is not understood." If we can conveniently fit anew truth into our present way of life, then accepting it becomes easy.

In any level of spiritual growth, the believer will meet truth that he does not understand and therefore, rejects it. This is because he can find no place in his present spiritual experience into which to fit it, and he is not as yet willing to have it worked into his life.

There is a way to approach the unfamiliar without fear. In 1973, the Lord led me in such an unusual way that I did not recognize it as His leading. I approached it with hesitancy as I did not feel I was on solid ground.

This began when someone suggested that I minister in the British Isles and in Germany. Although I did not have what I would then term a "leading," I felt as if I was to go. But to go without a familiar leading was distressing. There was only one thing I could do. I would put aside my need for a specific "leading," and trust God alone. I told Him I was going, and that I would depend upon His faithfulness to correct me if this was not wholly according to His will and purpose. In the absence of hearing anything different, I went.

The ministry went well; people were helped. But all during the trip, I had no confirmation from Him that I was moving in His perfect will. At the very end of the trip, just as the wheels of the 747 touched the runway, the Holy Spirit strongly rose within me and spoke these words, "Thank you." Tears rolled down my cheeks. I was grateful that the unfamiliar had not caused me to miss God's will.

All through our spiritual life, we continually meet the unfamiliar, things we do not understand. Therefore, we cannot afford to make our approach to God on the basis of our understanding. Doing so will lead us no-further. All we need at such a time is a willingness to hear, know, and obey God. He will not let us down.

Those whom Moses brought to meet with God did not desire to hear Him. In "The Parable of The Sower," hearing becomes the foundation of receiving. Understanding comes later. But some are determined to understand before they make their approach. They ask, what are these thunderings and lightnings? Why is the trumpet blowing? They say, we must first understand these things, or we will not meet with God. Since they have no faith, there is no approach to God.

God cannot be understood by man. He must be approached in faith. God seeks to draw man into the unknown. Man, responding to God, will always be learning. No matter how far we are taken into the unknown to receive further understanding, we will always have the unknown before us.

THE UNKNOWN
Charles A Haun

There is a light
Which seems to beckon me
To where, I do not know.

There is a call
(It seems to come from God)
To what? I do not know.

It is tugging.
My heart now answers it.
Faith fuels and urges on.

There is a work,
A mysterious kind
I do not understand.

There is a hand
(Of nature soft and rough)
I cannot understand.

There is a heart
Filled with love toward me,
Which beckons enter in.

There is a path
(The way it turns is strange);
It leads to realms unknown.

There is a door.
Open? I do not know.
One day He'll bring me there.

There is a place
Of grace beyond the known,
Which now I cannot see.

There is a faith
Which yet I do not have;
I pray it grips my heart.

There is a love.
It's His; I wish it mine,
That I may know His way.

There is a light
I need that I may see
The One who calls to me.