“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me you who practice lawlessness.'” Matthew 7:21-23 NASB

Our question today has two parts. Do you know God? Does God know You? You can be a follower of Jesus Christ your entire life, including going to church on Sundays, and still not truly know God. Still not be fully in His Will for your life (see here).

In his seminal book “Knowing God,” J. I. Packer puts it this way: “You can know more about God than Calvin and the reformers, and still not know God at all. It is possible to have correct theological affirmations in your head without ever tasting in your heart the realities to which they refer. A simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior, then a learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct.” (Note 1)

There are three kinds of knowledge; the knowledge of awareness (I can see that the Heavens declare the glory of God), the knowledge of information (I can recite John 3:16, I know of the Shepherd and the sheep of Psalm 23, that Christ died for my sins, this information, that data), and the knowledge of relationship, a personal, intimate, love-sharing knowledge. A relationship that drives us to honor, obey, and please God. A relationship where God is the highest priority of your life. And where God knows you.

You can start today. It is God’s Will for your life.

Note 1: Paraphrase, Knowing God, J. I. Packer (1926 – 2020)