Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 [ESV]
Knowing God is everything. And I don’t mean knowing about Him. I mean knowing Him.
Knowing God – growing deeper in our relationship with the Lord – is the most worthwhile pursuit we can have in life. It is beyond astounding to see our Father at work in our lives, and the lives of others. To know God is to know peace.
How do we get to know God? Simple:
Study
Don’t just glance over your Bible. Dig in. Study. Connect. Commit.
When we read Scripture, we find God revealed to us. When we begin connecting the dots and seeing the Bible for what it is – the inspired word of God, written over the span of centuries in three different languages by multiple people from many stations of life and cultural backgrounds.
Despite the different writers (from lowly fishermen to royalty, educated men to simple people, often the last person on earth who one would think should be writing God’s word), the 66 books that make up the Bible are , a cohesive whole. The reason is there are many writers, but One Author: God. The Lord inspired the writers with His message, His revelation of Himself.
The more we study the Bible, the more we know about God. But it requires more than Scripture reading.
Prayer
Converse with the Lord. It’s as simple as that. Open your heart to Him. Talk with God, knowing He hears you.
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6:6-8 [ESV]
Prayer is a conversation. Tell Him your hurts and needs. Ask Him for wisdom and guidance.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:7-11 [ESV]
God hears you. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you.
Believe
It all hinges on faith. Believe. Trust in the Lord. Take God at His Word.
When you read His Word, trust what God’s saying.
When you pray, believe that God hears you. He loves you. He is your Heavenly Father Who sent His Son Jesus to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins that we may have eternal life with Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
Proverbs 3:5-6 [ESV]
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
God is faithful, even when we are not. And God, full of grace and truth, merciful and not merely loving but Love Himself, loves you with a love beyond comprehension. This is why we never need fear, never worry. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all. And He is our All and All.
And the better we know the Lord, the deeper we’ll grow in Him, the firmer our faith will be, the closer our relationship.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you (James 4:8a, ESV).
The more you study His Word; the more you pray; the more you place your full trust in the Lord alone; the better you will know God, and hunger for the Lord and His will.
The Bouville Diarist 