Day 35

Knowing God

“What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.”
— J. I. Packer

“Knowing God is not the same as knowing about God. One can know a lot about God without knowing Him personally.” Timothy Keller “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

John 17:3, ESV

Audio readingKnowing GodAudio in preparation

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Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.’

John 14:6–7, ESV

The knowledge of God is a subject far too vast to exhaust in a single article. Yet today, we will explore its foundational aspects, particularly as they connect to the themes we’ve recently been reflecting on.

In our world today, many hold diverse and often conflicting ideas about God. For some, God is an abstract force; for others, He is fused into every created thing. Some direct their devotion toward idols, while others in this secular age see themselves as their own gods. But who has the authority and authenticity to define the true God?

When Jesus walked the earth, He confronted these false ideologies. Even among the Israelites, who had received true glimpses of God through Moses and the prophets, misunderstandings still abounded. Was God a wrathful King waiting to condemn? Was He too exalted to engage with human frailty?

The prophets declared inspired, yet partial, revelations of God. But Jesus came as the perfect and ultimate expression of the Father. He is the image of the invisible God, the exact imprint of His nature. Through Christ, the way to know the Father was made clear. In His life, death, and resurrection, He confirmed the reality of God and released the power for us to experience Him.

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

John 14:8–9

Jesus’ revelation of God as a Father seeking close relationship with His children was revolutionary. The Jews could accept a majestic King to be feared from afar, but a tender Father? That they struggled to grasp. And the idea that this God had a Son was even more scandalous. They saw God as one – how could He have a Son?

But every good attribute we express must have first existed and been perfected within the Godhead. If God is love, how could He have expressed that love before the creation of mankind? The eternal love Christ revealed had to have been shared within a divine community before time began.

Jesus taught that He existed with the Father from the beginning as the Word (John 1:1–4), and that the Spirit was present in creation, bringing order and life (Genesis 1:2). The one true God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Distinct in role and relationship, yet perfectly united in purpose and being.

From Genesis to Revelation, God’s desire is clear: to dwell in intimate relationship with mankind. He knew us before we were formed. Every moment of our lives matters to Him. Not a hair falls without His notice. As David wrote in Psalm 139, there is no place we can go where God does not see us and remain present. What a comfort it is to be fully known and still fully loved.

God's desire is for us to know Him just as intimately as He knows us. From the very beginning, He has not only revealed Himself as Lord and King, but also as Father and Friend. This is not a distant, ceremonial relationship; it is a deeply personal and affectionate one. As Derek Prince entreats, “You do not really know God unless you know Him as Father.” Jesus came to restore that closeness, to remove the barriers of sin, and to invite us into fellowship with the Father. This is eternal life. And this was Christ’s mission on earth.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:20

Knowing God is not simply about information. It is about transformation through relationship. In Him, we find the fulfilment and satisfaction our hearts long for. As Packer said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord." Paul understood this. Despite his achievements and struggles, he declared that nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ... that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

Philippians 3:7–8, 10

How then can we know God? Scripture is our foundational source of truth about Him. It points us to Christ, the ultimate revelation of God, and the Holy Spirit enables us to experience that truth personally. He teaches us, reminds us, and applies God’s word to our lives.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

Through Scripture and the Spirit, we come to know the God who is eternal, self-existent, sovereign, unchanging, just, holy, merciful, and loving. All of His attributes are fully revealed in Jesus and impressed upon our hearts through His indwelling Spirit.

True life and wisdom begin with acknowledging the holy and living God through His Son, Jesus. When we catch a glimpse of His majesty and mercy, awe and reverence become the natural response. When we know God, we are strengthened to do great exploits. Our hearts are stirred to love, serve, and obey Him, no matter the cost.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

... but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

Daniel 11:32

The evidence of truly knowing God is love. As we grow in intimacy with Him, the fruit of His Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – becomes increasingly evident.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7–8

When we experience God’s goodness and mercy, we cannot help but share Him. Jesus commissions us to go and tell the world that the Father longs for each of us to know Him.

That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us..." – 1 John 1:1–3

So, let us renew our pursuit of God. Let us seek Him with our whole hearts, not settling for mere information, but longing for intimate fellowship with the One who made us, knows us, and loves us. He invites us to come, to know Him deeply, and to walk with Him daily.

And as we come to know Him, may we be stirred to make Him known. Let us become His ambassadors, proclaiming His love, reflecting His character, and pointing others to the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This is our purpose, our joy, and our eternal calling.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalm 34:8

Scripture Readings:

John 14; Philippians 3:7–14; 1 John 5

Journal prompts

01Do I truly know God relationally, or have I settled for merely knowing about Him intellectually?

02In what ways am I actively cultivating intimacy with the Father, through Christ and by the Spirit?

03Does my life consistently reflect the evidence of knowing God through love, transformation, and obedience?

Prayer points

Thank Jesus for revealing the Father and for granting you access to eternal life through Him.
Ask God to reveal Himself more deeply to you, not just through information, but through intimate relationship.
Invite the Holy Spirit to remove any false ideas or distortions you’ve held about who God is.
Pray for a heart that treasures the pursuit of knowing God above all other ambitions.
Pray that your life will reflect the fruit of truly knowing God, especially love, holiness, and humility.
Commit to making God known to others, boldly and joyfully sharing the goodness you’ve tasted in Him.

Daily declaration

I declare that I have access to true, eternal life through Jesus Christ. By the help of the Holy Spirit, I am growing in the knowledge of God. God’s love is perfected in me, and I produce godly fruit daily.

I fix my heart on the surpassing worth of knowing Christ above all else, and I receive the wisdom, power, and joy that come from walking with the living God.

I am Christ's ambassador, commissioned to make Him known, to proclaim His goodness, and to reflect His love to a world in need. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and I will not be silent. I stand firm in faith, ready to act boldly for His glory.

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