What He Wants From Us Part 2...Know Him Personally

In the previous post we discussed what it is God wants most from us...our love. So, how can you love Him with all of your heart, soul and mind, as the Scriptures tell us, unless you really know Him personally and intimately?

God is a relational God. From the opening chapters of Genesis and on through the New Testament, we learn of a God who is personally involved in the lives of His creation. You may not realize it, but you were created to know God. To have an intimate, loving relationship with Him. Marriage, the love union between man and woman, also serves as a picture of the type of closeness we are made to have with God (Ephesians 5:22-23). Scripture even tells us that the church (His believers) is His bride. So if we are to love God in such a personal way, with all of our heart, soul and mind, we must know Him.

Those of you who are married, can you really love your spouse without truly knowing him/her at a deep heart level? A mere intellectual understanding of your partner is only a start. Head knowledge about their personality, characteristics and nature is surely a good thing, yet hardly enough to develop a true love for him/her. There has to be a deeper, more personal connection at the level of the heart. The same holds true when it comes to our relationship with God. You can’t truly love Him unless you truly know Him personally. So do you know God or do you just know about Him? There is a big difference. Far too often knowledg of God is mistaken for knowing God. Many people know about God…have knowledge of Him. But far fewer people actually know Him in a personal way.  Head knowledge is good, but heart knowledge is necessary as well. He wants more than just an intellectual understanding of who He is.

So, how do you get to know someone personally, beyond just knowing about them? Spend time with them. You communicate with them. Share your heart. Learn their likes and dislikes. It’s the same with God. In order to know Him, wich is what He desires and is available to anyone who seeks Him, we must spend time with Him. Study His Word as being written personally to you, not simply an historical account. Talk to Him as you would your best friend. Learn to recognize His voice speaking to your heart. Author John Eldredge states, “You can know Jesus…even better than your friends. Or what was the incarnation for?” God desires so strongly that you know Him, He actually came to us in physical form through Jesus. And with His death on the cross He promised to give all who believe in Him the gift of His Spirit to literally dwell within you...the Spirit of God living within your heart so you can always have access to God. So you can always have His presence close. So you can always talk to Him. So you can always hear from Him. So He can guide you. Comfort you. Teach you. Love you. He wants your love so much that He literally will send His Spirit into your life to live with you. How much more personal could He get?

If you don't yet know God in a personal way, I encourage you to ask Him to show you the type of relationship He offers. What else could compare to knowing the Creator of the universe in a personal way. He is more personal, more faithful and more loving than any person you will ever know.

So how do we love God with all of our heart, soul and mind? We get to know Him. If you truly know Him, His love will consume you. And your only response will be to love Him in return.  

 

 

"In quietness and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15

This passage of Scripture struck me as I opened to Isiah to spend some time with God. It was actually highlighted from a previous days reading, yet had not resonated with me at the time. However, this time the words seemed to be jumping off the page. So profound, yet so simple: "In quietness and trust is your strength."
The ability to be strong rests not in human might or brute force, but in stillness and belief in the goodness of God. When one is able to calm the mind and soul from controlling/striving/worrying, and simply trust in Him, strength is produced. A confidence in His strength is realized. I cannot muster up enough strength on my own...I've tried this in the past with little success. However, when I quiet my mind and quiet my soul I can focus on His love and goodness. This inevitably brings me to a place of trust and dependence on Him...and this is where true strength is found. Not in trying to "be" strong. In reality it's actually quite the opposite as I need only to "be" still and let God be strong in me. What a sense of relief and peace this brings to know that it's not up to me to be strong. I can rest in Him and know that by simply doing so I am strong. Truly it is a sign of real strength when one is able to surrender your effort to be strong on your own and depend on the Lord instead.

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Again, to settle one's self before God and recognize who He is will produce strength. A healthy recognition of His nature will bring one to a place of trust every time. "God is love" (1 John 4:8). "The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all His creation" (Psalm 145:17). "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 100:5). "Fear not for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you and I will help you" (Isaiah 41:10). “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).  "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28). This is merely a snapshot of the character of God and as we draw closer to Him our trust grows, allowing us to find our strength in who He is, rather than in who we are. The more we know Him the more worthy we find Him to be of our trust and we can quietly and confiedently come before Him in our time of need.

As my study Bible so accurately states, "A right relationship with God brings quietnes, the ability to be calm, because one trusts in him to keep His promises." For me, my strength is directly linked to my relationship with God. I'm not naturally strong-minded, so the ability to quiet my soul and trust in Him is essential. No striving. No worrying. No letting my emotions control me. Just trusting in Him while knowing He is my strength.

Do you need your strength renewed? If so, don't simply try harder, relying on your own effort and ability. Instead, do what seems to go against your natural instinct and simply be still, draw close to God and let His strength renew you. He desires peace for you, not the burden of trying to be strong. So quiet yourself before God and begin to trust in who He is and watch as He fills you with His strength...His freedom-giving, peace-producing, effortless strength.