Made to Know God

We are made to be eternal beings and to have an eternal relationship with the Lord who made us: to know Him.

Made to Know God

This week's devotions are written by my friend Jessica Hermann, former director of our college ministry at Great Hills Baptist Church.

- Pastor Danny

I have written in the past about how much God desires to dwell with His people and how all throughout the Scriptures we see this desire on display. In the garden, the tabernacle, the temple, Jesus Himself, and in sending the Holy Spirit, God has shown time and time again how He desires to dwell among us. We were created to have a relationship with God.

I assume that most of you reading this are believers, and you do know God and have a relationship with Him. But we ought to always be looking to invest deeper in this relationship and to enjoy it more and more.

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

We are made to be eternal beings and to have an eternal relationship with the Lord who made us: to know Him. The word used for "to know" here in John 17 is a far deeper kind of knowledge than simply to have information about something or someone. This kind of "knowing" is a deep and intimate kind of knowledge. It is the difference between knowing about someone and really knowing someone. My husband knows me better than anyone else, while a friend of a friend who heard a story about me one time only knows about me. We have been made to know God in the deepest sense, not just to know about Him. Likewise, the Lord knows us and everything about us, in every way. This is true intimacy: to be fully known and fully loved. True knowledge is not about information but about relationship. You were created to know God and to have a relationship with Him. The extent of this relationship does not end with salvation; it is only the beginning! May we be able to say year in a year that we know God more today than we did a year ago.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:6) This is a well-known Scripture but what does it really look like to acknowledge God in all of your ways? Look for how God is at work in everything going on in your life. He is working, so look to identify how He is working in your life. Furthermore, seek to follow God's ways in every aspect of your life, hand in hand with Him. Follow His Word, and choose to do things God's way. Seek the Lord's guidance in prayer for all things, not just the big things. A relationship is rather shallow if you only ever talk about the big things. Deep intimacy in a relationship comes in all the little things and experiences that make up our lives as well as the big milestone moments. God cares about it all because He desires a deeply personal and intimate relationship with you. Praise God that we can have this kind of a relationship with the Lord of all without fear of judgement or wrath because of Christ.

Consider these questions today: