To Know God. . .

Act 13:22 “…'c9. I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart..

Thousands of years after David walked this earth, we are still inspired by this shepherd boy turned king who was given the title “a man after God’s own heart”. David had such an intimate relationship with God that went far beyond one of a maker-created. The Psalms David wrote showed us he greatly pursued, desired and needed God. It was inevitable how much he knew and understood God and His ways.

As members of God’s family, God calls us to love Him, first and foremost, with all our hearts, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27).  To love God, we must know God. Not just know about Him, but to know Him in a personal, heartfelt manner that enables us to have a relationship with Him. David’s relationship with the Lord is an inspiration to us all. He passionately desired to know God more than anything else. He used words like yearning, thirsting, hungering in his Psalms.

We are called by God to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter3:18). Knowing God is a journey and a process for whom among us can say we have known God enough? It is neither instant nor automatic, but a pursuit that will take the rest of our lives.

As a church that is committed to know God, may we purposefully seek to be closer to Him. The Bible says “…'c9let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Heb 12:28).   Our worship to God needs to be in a way that pleases him. When we worship, God looks past our words and singing to see the attitude of our hearts. God gave us emotions so that we could worship Him with deep feelings.

When we gather together for breaking of bread and drinking of wine, let us do so with hearts that desire to understand more and more his intense love and sacrifice for us. We are such busy, distracted beings and God knew that. He instituted communions so that we can consistently realign our hearts and minds and never forget His grace and mercy. 

When we come together for deeper bible teaching, let us get be grateful for the very core of God’s heart – God’s own Word. Truly the treasure of God’s Word are so deep and rich (Romans 11:13) and His Word stands as His counsel forever. How important it is that we take these bibles lessons seriously if we desire to know Him and His ways more.

Last but not least, what can replace our own personal devotion to God?  It is ultimately our choice how close to God we choose to be. Like any relationship, it takes desire, time and energy to form a deep, intimate connection with God. Drawing near to His Words should be the utmost importance to us each day as we walk through life with “it lighting the path of our feet” (Psalms 119:105). God also desires for us to pour our hearts to Him daily in prayer because He so cares how we feel.  Lingering in God’s presence will remind us that God is always near (Phil 4:4-6). 

To spend time, energy and effort to know God is to invest in something of eternal, life-changing values. David had many other gifts and strengths – he was well-known for his physical prowess and might as a warrior and king – but more than anything else, he was known as one who offered up to God the purest of devoted love.