Leavenworth, Washington, is a beautiful area throughout the seasons but especially in the winter. When God created the stunning snow-laden mountains and majestic peaks that loom high above the Bavarian styled community, He didn’t spare any creativity. The quaint village setting causes a person to slow down and appreciate the grandeur of the Creator. It makes me want to know Him even more.
Most Christian scholars would tell us that knowing God and all He has revealed about Himself is the highest pursuit in life. King Solomon was one of the wisest men to ever live. He wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
Solomon had a sincere passion for God. As King David gave his throne to his son Solomon, his primary counsel was that Solomon know God: “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever” (1 Chronicles 28:9).
Knowing God determines the quality of our life and the design of our eternal life. Jesus told us, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). When you think about spending eternity with God it only makes sense you should know Him intimately and with deep conviction. But what does it mean to “know God?”
“Knowing” is associated with knowledge, experience, and understanding. It also indicates a certainty—the absence of doubt. Meeting someone or knowing about someone is quite different than knowing them. It is the same with God. When we read God’s Word, we learn about Him. When we spend time worshiping Him, praying, listening to Him, and watching Him work in our lives and those around us, we gain experience and understanding of Him on a personal level. We build a relationship with Him and come to know Him.
Some skeptics don’t believe we can truly know God. Of course we cannot fully know Him, but the Lord tells us, “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Like “seeking,” knowing God is not a passive pursuit. It takes intentionality, curiosity, passion, and time. It takes slowing down and often waiting for Him to reveal Himself. “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’” (Psalm 46:10a NIV). If we genuinely want to know God, we should seek to discover Him with the same passion we developed to select a mate.
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 2:3-5
Personal Application: Are you seeking to know God? Don’t be so distracted with the pursuit of fame, fortune, power, or prestige that you forget to take time to really know God. God’s desire for all of mankind is that we diligently seek to know Him and trust Him. The Apostle Paul encourages us, “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). How passionately are pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5