Continuing our devotional series on knowing God, today we’re gonna look into WHY we should know God. As Seventh-Day Adventist young people, we hear a lot of our pastors, youth group leaders, parents, and all kinds of adults telling us to “get to know God” or that we “need to know God.” But why? Why should we know God? I mean, aren’t the pastor’s sermons enough? Isn’t Audioverse, 3ABN, Amazing Facts, and all those kinds of ministries adequate to help us know God? What’s the big deal with this “need to know God” thing? [NOTE: If you haven’t read part 1 yet, you can go to part 1 by CLICKING HERE]
John chapter 10 gives us a clue on WHY knowing God and spending time with Him is important. First, we’re gonna look into verse 27:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (John 10:27)
So, one reason why we as Seventh-Day Adventist Christian teens should know God is because He KNOWS us. He has loved us “with an everlasting love” and is drawing each of our hearts with His lovingkindness (Jeremiah 31:3). He knows every part of us from the inside out! In fact, this is what David wrote in reference to how much God knows us:
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. (Psalm 139:1-5)
Since God knows every action we do, every thought we think, every plan we make, and every word we say….doesn’t that give you a desire to KNOW God’s thoughts, God’s plans, and God’s words? Well, guess what? God WANTS us to come and get to know His thoughts, plans, and words! In fact, in Isaiah 1:18, God says–
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
The Hebrew word for “reason” in this verse is the word yakach (יָכַח) ; and in Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, it gives this basic definition:
“To be clear, manifest, to appear”
God LONGS for us to come to Him so He can make clear and make manifest His will, plans, and loving thoughts and words to us. He WANTS us to come and to know Him and His goodness–just as much as He knows our thoughts, plans, words, and actions.
Going back to John chapter 10, we’re going to look at the second reason why we should know God. In verses 4-5 of John 10, we read:
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. (John 10:4-5)
This is Christ speaking and giving an illustration on sheep and their shepherd, and how it shows Jesus’ relation to us as the sheep and Him as the shepherd (see verses 14-16). And in these verses, I want to point out that another reason why we should know God is so we can know His voice. But how do we know His voice? Ellen White gives us one direct way to know God’s voice:
The Sacred Word, if made the rule of life, will refine, elevate, and sanctify. It is the voice of God to man. Will we heed it?
–{Messages To Young People pg. 257}
So far we’ve looked into two reasons why we should know God. The first reason is we should know God because God knows us. The second reason is we should know God in order to truly know His voice; and we get to know His voice by spending time in reading and studying His Word. Now, the third reason why we should know God is because there is an enemy.
In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter writes that we need to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” If we don’t take time to listen to and heed God’s voice, and to truly get to know Him and the truths He desires to share with us–we’ll be deceived and devoured by the devil.
But there’s hope!
James 4:8 says “draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Right now, God is drawing you into a pure knowledge of His love and will for your life! He WANTS you to draw near to Him! He WANTS to make manifest the gems of truth to you! He WANTS you to hear and listen to His voice through Scripture! He WANTS to protect you and keep you from the devouring deceptions of the devil through a living connection with you! GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HIM!!!
But it’s your choice to want to know Him. Dear reader, it is your choice that will determine whether or not you’ll take time to genuinely know God. He gives you the free choice to know Him and serve Him–or not. I want to encourage you today, dear reader, to “choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). I want to encourage you to choose love (1 John 4:8). I want to encourage you to choose to take time to get to know the Author of life and love. I want to encourage you to get to know the Person who DIED to freely give you LIFE, the God who LOVED you even BEFORE you loved Him back (1 John 4:19). I want to encourage you, dear reader, to choose God and know Him–because He has chosen you to be His witness and let others know Him (Isaiah 43:10). But how can you arise to such a duty when you don’t know God for yourself?
I understand if it seems hard to truly take time to know God because of how “busy” things get in life. But I really want to appeal to you, dear reader, that God has been ever faithful to you–despite how faithless you might’ve been in taking time to get to know Him (2 Timothy 2:13); and I really want to give you the opportunity today to stand and be faithful in getting to know God more and more every day–because He has been faithful to you every day.
So, dear reader, if you truly want to say yes to knowing God and be faithful in advancing and growing in a personal knowledge of His thoughts, words, and plans for you each and every day, then just pray:
I’d like to conclude this post with a verse you may meditate on along with the above prayer. This verse reminds us that no matter how much good we want to do–including spending time getting to know God–we simply can’t do it in our own strength. Only GOD is able to help us, strengthen us, and make us willing to do what’s good–and that includes taking time to get to know Him.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. [John 15:5]
It’s my sincere hope and prayer that we’d each depend on God to help us get to know Him, and look to Him to implant within our hearts a restless desire to grow more and more in a personal knowledge of Himself and His words, plans, and thoughts for each of us. Amen! Maranatha!
Stay tuned for part 3 of this devotional series, where we’ll explore WHAT it means to know God! [UPDATE: You can now view part 3 HERE]