Knowing not just knowing about. . . .

A few weeks ago, a woman sat with us during church brunch and asked me how I knew Jesus was real, and how I knew whether He had returned or not. For me, it was like she asked how I knew if my children are real, or my friends, or even her. She claimed to have visions of what God  is doing and asked questions about spiritual warfare. The next week, I loaned her a book on that topic, but haven’t seen her since. Interesting.

The philosophical questions about reality abound. How do we know what we know, and so on.  While some might dismiss this as silly speculation, the Bible makes it an important, even a key part of our existence, and about the way we live now and, and determines our destination. The OT says this:

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23–24)

God desires that my main passion in life is knowing Him and knowing what He is like and what He does. In His NT prayer, Jesus said this:

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

How do I  know that I know Him? It is by faith, a faith that affects me to the point that I must tell it to others, say it with my mouth. Not faking it, and not pretending in any way. It is a knowing that is difficult to explain for it is not like saying “I know my husband” or any other visible person. It is a knowing based on what the Word of God says:

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:8–13)

This hints at more than head knowledge. For example, I know who Donald Trump is, would recognize him if he walked by, hear all sorts of things about him, but I don’t ‘know’ him like I know Jesus. The Bible says that knowledge means I know His voice, have His mind and hear Him tell me what to do or not do. Knowing Him means intimacy. He gives me His love, peace, joy, and a desire to be like Him. And that is more evidence of the depth of this relationship:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2:3)

While many doubt, or scoff, or even deny such a thing is possible, a few could see how Jesus makes a difference: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

PRAY: Jesus, today is one of those days where I feel totally unlike You, as if I’m more uneducated and common than bold. However, You are with me because You said so, not because I’m always aware or feel like it. Your word is far more reliable than my feelings. Because I know You and that You do what You say You will do, I walk into this day in confidence that knowing You is all that I need — and I can be all that You desire of me.