In Ephesians 1:17 (NIV), Paul says, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.” Someone once asked Dr. James Montgomery Boice, “What do you think is the greatest lack among evangelical Christians in America?” He answered, “I think that the greatest need of the evangelical church today is for professing Christians to really know God.” He goes on to discuss what so many believers have settled for: Some settle for ignorance: “All I know is that Jesus died for me. That’s all I need to know.” Some settle for mere knowledge of the Bible – and while Bible knowledge is important, it is not the fulness of what God has for us. Some settle for knowledge about God: The church has quite a few “arm-chair theologians” who can argue about what God is like, but that’s about it. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus said, “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3). The Greek word translated “know” (in Ephesians) is a word that means “fuller knowledge”. “To Know” in Greek is a knowledge that comes from the experience of a person’s entire being – spirit, soul, and body. God want us to get to know Him as completely as our finite being will allow. In James 4:8, James makes it simple: “Draw Near to God and He will draw near to you.” The language James uses is a reminder that God Himself is drawing us. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44). God drew us to Himself when we first came to Christ, and He continues to draw us today. Jeremiah captures the heart of God beautifully: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3, NLT). Why does Jeremiah say that God draws us? LOVE. What’s love got to do with it? EVERYTHING. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” Because He loves us passionately and unconditionally, God draws us to Himself. James also describes God as one who jealously desires our devotion. But don’t mistake this as the selfish jealousy of human beings. It is not human-like at all. It is the holy passion of a God who created us for fellowship with Himself and will not share our hearts with idols or any other poser-god vying for our attention and affection. Will you draw near to Him, or will you draw back from His presence? May I encourage you today to take a step towards Him. Open your heart. Seek Him in prayer. Spend time in His Word. Allow nothing to compete for His Presence. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
