Do You Know Him?

Do you know Him?

Philippians 3:10 - “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection. . . “

How well do you really know the Father? What about the Son and the Holy Spirit?

As long as I have been a Christian, it has always amazed me when I learn new things and gain new revelations about God. When this knowledge comes to me, I think, wow, maybe I don’t know them as well as I thought I did. When we are on an assignment from the Lord, we tend to put all our attention and focus on that assignment. We read the word to apply it to our lives and to learn ‘about’ Him, or sometimes, because it’s our ‘duty’. But He wants us to “know” Him.

Jeremiah 9:23 - “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom . . . but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me . . “ This means, God wants us to know and understand Him. This is interesting because each of us has a desire to be understood. Since we are made in His likeness and image, it makes sense that we have similar desires.

I am currently in a season of fasting, which I observe every January. Part of that (besides fasting certain foods) involves laying aside distractions and things that take my mind off of Him. Things like phone games, binge-watching tv series, etc. The Lord allowed me to watch biblical movies that will help me gain a better understanding of the Word, so I decided to watch the Chosen series. What particularly grabbed my attention is how Jesus interacts with His disciples, His inner circle. These men, in addition to some of the women following Him, were simply ordinary people just like you and me. They were flawed and imperfect. They made mistakes. Yet He chose them just the way they were. They had intimate access to Jesus. They had the privilege of hearing from Him and seeing Him every day, learning and growing from Him. Sometimes He corrected them, but mostly He loved them. They helped Him carry out the work and the mission He was called to do.

This gave me a profound visual perspective. When we mess up or make mistakes, we tend to condemn ourselves. God may correct us or redirect us, but He doesn’t condemn us. He accepts us just as we are. We feel bad and worry about what others think, but He feels compassion toward us. His primary desire is for us to know Him.

Think about the last two paragraphs for a minute. The disciples had in-person, tangible access to the Son of God. His death made a way for us to have instant access through the power of the Holy Spirit. He may have chosen them back then, but today, He chooses us. He chooses us to carry out His work and His mission. We are now His disciples. Our assignment is His assignment. We will never fully understand that assignment until we really know Him.

John 17:3 - “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

So how do we truly know Him? Start by reading the Word, not just knowing about Him. Read the Word to know who He is. What is He like? What pleases Him? What grieves Him? How does He handle situations? How does He love and forgive? When does He correct and discipline?

Second, talk to Him. Tell the Lord your deepest inner thoughts. Then listen to hear what He is saying. This will become a habit and a regular exchange.

Third, take a good look at His creation all around you. Notice the unique qualities of the people around you. Notice their alikeness and their differences. Look at the plants, trees, animals, the sun, the moon, and the stars. Romans 1:20, ‘For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made . . . “ Job 12:7-10 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you . . . In whose hand is the life of every living thing.”

If you are thinking, “Yes, I know all this. I do these things regularly”. But God is so infinite, powerful, and full of ‘mysteries’, you can’t possibly know everything there is about Him. We should be continual students of Him, hungry to learn more every day. There is so much to learn and know.

Creation is not random - it is intentional, ordered, and expressive. Every sunrise, ocean wave, and star-filled sky is a sermon declaring who God is. Declaring that He is powerful, present, and personal. When we slow down enough to notice creation, our hearts are naturally drawn to Him and into worship.

The more we get to know Him, the more we can identify with and understand what David meant when He said in Psalms 145:3 “God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness. Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts.” (MSG), and in Psalm 33:8 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!” (ESV)

Be blessed in this New Year to come. Start it off right by strengthening your relationship with the only one who really matters!My post content