How can I really know God?
The idea of knowing the God of the universe in a personal way is unfathomable to the human mind. He is God, this ethereal, elusive, untouchable being that has more important things to do than be with you. Right?
The truth is that there is nothing that will complete your life more, or be more satisfying to you, than having a personal relationship with God. Believe it or not, there is nothing more satisfying to Him, as well. 2 Timothy 2:19a says, "The Lord knows those who are his." And Exodus 33:13 says, "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you." And Philippians 3:10, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." From those verses, we begin to see that this relationship with God is reciprocal. He knows us; we know Him.
We are not talking about knowledge of God. Satan knows a lot about God and the Bible, but there is no intimacy. Many people think that they know God, when in reality, they know a lot about Him, but have yet to forge an intimate bond with their loving Creator. Jesus warns about this misunderstanding in Matthew 7:22-23, "Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!" He was talking about people who worked so hard that they thought they were earning God's favor. They never took the time to sit at His feet, to really know Him.
How do you do that? In the Exodus verse above, it shows that one way to know God is to understand His ways. We can do that by studying His word and paying attention to the way He works in our lives. The verse found in Philippians asserts that we know God by sharing in His work and His suffering. That basically means sharing His heart for the lost. Daily time spent with God, however, is the most crucial way to assure your intimacy with the Lord. This needs to be time spent alone, in prayer, seeking God's presence in your life. 1 Chronicles 28:9b promises, "If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."
