Devotional for Knowing God

What does it mean to know the heart of God? Not just too simply recognize His heart, but to know, intimately. There are so many times in our Christian culture that we have settled for recognizing His face but not pursuing His heart. Perhaps that is why this culture cannot get past their own sin and recognize His love for them and His love through them. In our friendships and relationships we are not satisfied with simply knowing someone’s face. We seek time with them to know their heart and their emotions. We crave their affection and attention, and we do not think that this applies to our relationship with God as well. This passivity toward knowing God is the very reason many of us struggle in our relationship to Him. John 14:23-26 says this: “Jesus answered, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. The one who doesn't love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me. "I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit-the Father will send Him in My name-will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”  We are given instruction not just to recognize Him, but to know Him, and intimately love Him.  God wants us to know every part of Him- the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is not enough to know only the Son- the Son is the gateway into intimate relationship with the Father who then sends the Holy Spirit to empower and equip us into deeper intimacy with God. “If you know Me, you will also know My Father From Now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”- John 14:7. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.”- John 14:16. We were created to know God, to desire God, to pursue God, to long for God- He is the only one who satisfies this deep longing. My beloved, we must hunger. If we do not we will be too easily satisfied with just recognizing God.  Matthew 7:21-23 states, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!” Recognizing Jesus is neither the destination nor the final goal. Recognizing Him is the avenue the Father planned for us to enter into deeper relationship with Him and to share in His satisfying, rich, and passionate love.