Growing in the Knowledge of God

“‘Let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24).

Unless we have a personal relationship with Him, we don’t really know Him.

We have studied many truths about God this month, but just knowing the facts is not enough. Knowing facts about God doesn’t necessarily mean knowing God, any more than knowing American history means you know Abraham Lincoln. Some of the most learned theologians in history, with great grasp of the facts about God, had no faith in God. They knew about God, but Christ will say to them on their day of judgment, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matt. 7:23).
The heart of knowing God is relationship. God is a relational being and has made us relational also, so that we might know Him. And like human relationships, knowing God requires time and commitment.
Of course, the first step in knowing God is salvation. When we were unsaved, we were enemies of God (Rom. 5:10), but now we are His friends (John 15:14-15). Once begun, this friendship is cultivated by studying the Bible and praying. God communicates His heart to us through His Word, and we communicate our hearts to Him in prayer.
Our fellowship with God is hindered by neglect. As a parallel, if you never spoke with your best friend, the friendship would suffer. Sin also harms our relationship with God because it moves us away from Him. We must remove whatever might hinder the relationship by continually confessing our sins (1 John 1:9), diligently studying His Word (Ezra 7:10), and devoting ourselves to prayer (Col. 4:2).
These things must be done with a fervent desire to know Him. We must have the heart of Paul who says, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8), and of David who says, “Thy face, O Lord, I shall seek” (Ps. 27:8). Then we will “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray that God would strengthen your desire to know Him.
For Further Study
Read Psalm 42.

What was the psalmist’s passion?

What characterized his life despite his troubles?