Does the Lord desire for us to know him? Yes, there is no doubt about it, the Lord does want us to know him because he loves people and wants to have fellowship with us. The Bible describes God as "happy with the world and pleased with the human race" (Proverbs 8:31). God becomes particularly joyful when you know him and live with him and for him. Why? Here are some reasons that come to mind.
God created us for his pleasure. When we are distant from him, his heart is saddened because his purpose for us is not being fulfilled.
When we abandon the Lord, he looks for us; he wants to dwell in us. He says, "Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me" (Revelation 3:20). Jesus says he wants to eat supper with us, perhaps because supper is the last meal of the day; Jesus wants to have a sleep over! He wants to dwell in the heart of the person who opens the door for the Lord and desires to know him.
When the heavens rejoice, would God not rejoice as well? Of course he would! Just as the shepherd rejoices when he finds one lost sheep, so there is great rejoicing in heaven when one lost sinner is found (Luke 7:10).
The Lord wants us to understand and know him. (Proverbs 9:10) says, "If you know the Holy One, you have understanding." Knowing the Holy One is identifying who he is, understanding and knowing his person. It is the beginning of that wisdom for which we should ask (James 1:5).
"Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord." (Hosea 6:3) (RSV) This is not something to do half-way; it needs diligence, pressing forward to know God. No matter how well we know the Lord, we will never know him fully here in this life with all of our imperfections and limitations. This is why Paul, even after he has seen the Lord and worked hard for him, says, "All I want is to know Christ" (Philippians 3:10).
May this be our cry today: "All I want is to know the Lord."
- 3 MAY -