Guest Post: No Substitute for Experience by Kathy Howard

I’ve always believed that the ocean is powerful. But I didn’t respect the ocean like I should until I experienced its power for myself.

Several years ago our family vacationed on Kauai, one of the Hawaiian Islands. One day we rented boogie boards and hit the beach to ride some waves. The first one in the water, I headed out to where the waves were breaking with the board strapped to my wrist.

For boogie boarding, the waves need to be breaking in water about waist deep. By the time I realized the waves were crashing too far out, the water was over my head. So, lying on my stomach on the board, I started kicking and headed for the beach.

It didn’t take long before I noticed that instead of making progress I was actually farther away from the beach. Reality dawned. I was caught in a rip tide. Trying not to panic, I began to swim to shore, dragging the board behind me by its strap. I swam until I was exhausted and swallowing water, but I was even further from the safety of the sand.

I rested on top of the board while I waved and shouted toward the beach. A sunbathing couple noticed and pointed my husband’s attention my direction. By the time Wayne grabbed another boogie board and made his way out to me I had drifted out of the rip tide. Tired and thankful I followed Wayne back to the beach.

Because of my experience in the ocean that day I now have a respect for its power I would not have otherwise. This respect does not keep me from getting in the ocean and enjoying it, but I approach it differently now than I did before.

The same is true with the holiness of God. We know that God is holy. The Bible says He is, so we believe it. But until we experience God’s glory – His holiness manifested – our understanding will be limited. Although our limited human minds can never fully comprehend all God is we can know Him better.

Isaiah experienced God’s holiness. (Read about it in Isaiah 6:1-8.) When Isaiah came face to face with the glory of the Creator, not only did Isaiah understand God better, Isaiah understood himself better. In the light of God’s perfection, Isaiah recognized his own sin. But after he submitted himself to God’s forgiveness and cleansing, Isaiah was prepared to serve God however he called.

Have you ever asked God to reveal Himself to you? To allow you to have a glimpse of His glory? If you do, be prepared to see both God and yourself in a new way.

Kathy Howard is passionate about studying and teaching God’s Word. Currently serving as the Minister of Adult Education at a Baptist church in Midland, Texas, she has been teaching adults the Bible for almost twenty years. Kathy’s love of teaching led her to begin writing Bible study curriculum to meet specific needs among those she teaches. The result was a nine-week study based on the book of Malachi. “Before His Throne” was released by New Hope Publishers in January, 2008.

Kathy’s newest book, God’s Truth Revealed, is a twelve-week Bible study that presents the basic beliefs of Christianity in a way that is engaging, personal, and biblical. Using the Bible as its foundation, God’s Truth Revealed answers questions like “Who is God?” and “Why am I here?” Participants will journey through the Bible to discover the importance of knowing God. This study will be released in March 2010.

To read more of Kathy Howard’s writings visit her blog (http://www.kathyhoward.org/blog/). You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.