“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer
Nothing will make a greater difference in our faith, life, and wisdom than knowing God. It is not just knowing about God, but knowing God in truth and relationship that roots our lives in ultimate meaning and reality.
We are created in God’s image for a relationship with Him and to reflect His glory.
God makes Himself Known
God has taken the initiative to reveal Himself to us. He has revealed Himself to us in all of creation and continues to speak (Psalm 19:1-6). God makes Himself known to us in Scripture as the Holy Spirit teaches us from the written Word. (Psalm 19:7-14; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Ultimately, God has made Himself known to us in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the Living Word and the Image of the Invisible God (John 1:14,18; Hebrews 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15). It is through the written Word of God that we are able to see God’s glory in creation and in the person of Christ. God wants to be known by you; He is revealing Himself to you!
Knowing God as God
Idolatry is us making a god in our imagination as we want Him to be. Revelation is God making Himself known as He truly is. But what does that look like in our lives and relationship with God?
I would like to share with you a simple yet profound spiritual practice that has meant a great deal to me in the journey of getting to know God. Many times, I have complicated things and come away disillusioned with the lack of really knowing God. This daily practice has been a well of spiritual refreshment as I continually learn to know God in my daily walk.
As I read the Bible daily, walking with God through various parts of the inspired library of Scripture, I pray and ask God to help me discover the answer to two questions. First, “Who are You, Lord?” Second: “What do You want me to do?” I can’t take credit for coming up with those questions; they come from the story of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. It is the first question that, as a prayer, helps turn my heart into a magnet, picking up particles of truth about God from Scripture to use in prayer, worship, faith, and relationship with God.
Four Important Categories of Truth about God
From studying the book of Psalms along with other parts of the Bible, it has become clear to me that as I am seeking to know God, there are four important categories of truth that God reveals about Himself:
- Persons
- Names
- Attributes
- Works
Let me help you by opening up one of these at a time.
Persons of God
The Persons of God speaks about the Trinity. God is one in His essence, shared by three divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Godhead exists as God with all the attributes of God in equality, eternality, and existing at the same time. Each is engaged in the works of God, including our salvation. Each person of the Trinity relates to one another in perfect unity and shared glory. God is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), but also reveals Himself as “us” in creating mankind (Genesis 1:26-27).
In Psalm 110:1, the Messiah is called “Lord”. The persons of God are all active in the Old Testament and clearly revealed in the New Testament. At the baptism of Jesus, all three persons of God are present (Matthew 3:16-17). In giving the Great Commission, the Lord commanded that Christian baptism was to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). In many of the letters in the New Testament, all three persons of God are worshipped and included in prayers (Ephesians 1:3-14; 3:14-21). Therefore, we need to cultivate a personal faith relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as we come to know God better.
Names of God
God’s names and titles reveal important truths about who God is. There are three primary names for God in the Old Testament:
- Elohim (Genesis 1:1-2:3): The mighty Creator, the majestic God who makes man in His image, the “us” of the Trinity. Translated as “God”.
- Adonai (Genesis 15:2): A title of ownership, honor, majesty, dominion, and sovereignty. This is translated as “Lord”.
- Yahweh (Exodus 3:14-17): Jehovah is the personal name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. It speaks of God being the God who keeps His covenants, delivers His people from bondage, rules over them, provides, and protects. It is translated “LORD” in all capital letters.
Each of these three names in the Old Testament is also seen in compound names tied to specific truths about God. There are hundreds of names and titles of Jesus and the Holy Spirit that are filled with meaning about our relationship with God. God also uses titles to reveal Himself to us: Shepherd, King, Rock, Fortress, Shield, Father, Potter, Bread, Vine, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, and so many others. Let your heart seek out the names and titles of God to know Him better.
Attributes of God
The attributes of God are the characteristics of God. They describe who He is in the essential qualities that make Him God. When Moses asked God to reveal His glory on Mt. Sinai, God spoke of His names and attributes (Exodus 34:5-7). God spoke of His mercy, grace, patience, goodness, truth, forgiveness, and justice. Isaiah heard the angels declaring the holiness of God (Isaiah 6:3).” The psalmist wrote of God being all-knowing, everywhere present, and all-powerful (Psalm 139). The glory of God is the fullness of all His character qualities radiating His excellence. Jesus reveals the attributes of God (John 1:18; 14:9), and we are called to reflect His likeness in holiness, love, grace, mercy, truth, and wisdom. Let your heart seek out more of God’s attributes as you get to know Him.
Works of God
The works of God are the things that God does that demonstrate what matters to Him. His works reveal His power, wisdom, sovereignty, and authority. Examples of God’s works include creation, redemption, miracles, revelation, sustaining life, ruling, and providence. We see in the worship of heaven that the angels and saints worship God for creation (Revelation 4:11) and for redemption (Revelation 5:9-13). The psalmist often praises God for His many mighty works in history. God’s works reveal His glory to us and encourage us to trust Him more. Get to know God through His mighty works.
God wants to be known and has taken the initiative to reveal Himself to us. While there is much about God that remains a mystery to our finite minds, we can know Him through faith in Christ as we learn from His Word. Nothing could be more important than knowing God. The result is not just information about God but transformation by God (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Let’s get to know God together as His people for His glory and for our good!
