Do You Know About God or Do You Know God?

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Knowing about something and knowing something are two completely different things. When my daughter was very young, she wanted a pair of roller skates. We went to the store and bought some for her. When we got home, she wanted to go outside and skate. My wife asked her if she knew how to skate and my daughter’s answer was priceless. She said, “You put on the skates and go skating!” Much to her surprise, there was more to it than “going skating!”

The same is true about God. Knowing about God and knowing God are not the same thing. That’s why people, even learned theologians, can accumulate a vast number of facts about God, yet have no faith in Him. They know about God, they just don’t know Him.

A relationship with God is at the heart of knowing Him. And it is similar to our human relationships — they require time and commitment, and they must be cultivated. 

Obviously, the first step in knowing God is what we call being “born again.” The Bible refers to it as “salvation.” When we are saved, we are no longer enemies of God [Romans 5:10], but rather His friends [John 15:14-15]. Once that relationship has begun, it must be cultivated. How so? Through Bible study and prayer. When we read the Bible, God communicates His heart to us. When we pray, we communicate our hearts to Him. 

I know of no other way - no short cuts - to know God. There were many people in the Bible who desired to know God. Here are two examples from both the Old and New Testaments:

David - When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I will seek” [Psalm 27:8]. 

Paul - Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ [Philippians 3:8].

That kind of heart’s cry is instrumental in knowing God. Unless we have a vital, personal relationship with Him, we really do not know God.

Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to Him, both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18