To Know Him.

"Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6:3.

I have been struggling to grasp what my purpose in life is. It is frustrating and at times confusing to hear my age mates give a specific answer to the question "What do you want to do with your life?", and when the question rolls around to me, I stand there and say "I don't know." I am very good at taking care of details. I would much rather get you to your destination than figuring out what your destination is. I spot the details. I am not good at coming up with the big picture. However, if there is no big picture, I have nothing to work towards. This has been my problem- I don't have the picture. I don't even have an idea. I was talking to a Pastor friend of mine a few weeks ago. I mentioned I was unable to make a decision because I did not know what I want to do with my life. He asked me "Krista, have you decided to serve Jesus?" "Yes." "And you know that you want to be generous and compassionate?" "Yes" "Well then, you have the biggest things covered. The other details will work themselves out." Another scenario took place a couple of months ago in the kitchen. My sister and I were talking about destiny. The phrase "God wants to reveal your destiny to you" had been spoken again and again in my presence. This confused me as I asked God to give me some grand, divine revelation about my future but nothing happened. My sister said that she knows very few people who got that "vision in the sky". They just walked step by step. She commented that she believes that humanity's purpose is to know God more and more, rather than finding out what they should DO for God. I had never thought of this before. In my head, my ultimate purpose in life was to win souls to Jesus. And it is my purpose, no doubt. But I then thought of this verse-

"Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]." Matthew 7:22-23

These conversations and that verse brought a fresh revelation to my heart. It is not enough to DO things for God. We must KNOW God. Now I don't disregard doing things unto God by any means.

James 2:17-19 says "So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?"

1 John 2:4 "If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth."

Titus 1:16 "Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good."

So I have understood that faith without works is dead, and if we claim to know God, but we do not honor Him through our lifestyles, it is all worthless. My life must be different than the worlds.

But WHY? Why go to the ends of the earth to preach the name of Jesus? Why lead others into worship? Why worship in the first place?- Because I love Him, and loving Him makes me WANT to do these things. Doing things for God because you are following rules is religion. Doing things for God because you love Him and you understand that He loves you is relationship. That is what sets the Christian faith apart from all other faiths. It all revolves around love. But how can you truly love someone you don't know? You need to get to know a person first before real, true love can develop.

Know God. Love God. Serve God.

These three steps sort of mesh up together in reality. When you know Him more, you love Him more, resulting in your desire to serve Him growing. Thus my ultimate goal is not to serve God, or even love God, but to KNOW God.

What does knowing God mean?

John 17:3: "And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent."

1 John 4:6a "We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us..."

John 8:55 Yet you do not know Him or recognize Him and are not acquainted with Him, but I know Him. If I should say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word [obey His teachings, am faithful to His message].

��From these scriptures, I think knowing God means to progressively (it is a process) perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience. Don't just observe God, EXPERIENCE Him!

Understand: 1. to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of. 2.to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of.

Can you imagine fully understanding God? Being fully familiar with Him! Oh, to know my Jesus that well- To get an even clearer knowledge of Him. This is my purpose in life! To KNOW God. Realistically, I will never reach a place where I fully understand God. He cannot be comprehended! But to give up? That is like saying you won't enjoy the cake because you do not know what is in it. I want to know God more and more, to love Him more and more. As I continue to do these things, I will keep serving God right where I am. If He calls me to the foreign mission field, I will go. If He calls me to lead worship, I will lead. If He calls me to stay in America and pursue a career, I will stay. I would love to know what God has planned for me, but I am learning not to worry about it anymore. God will use me, that I know.

What do I want to do with my life? I want to know God.

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Colossians 1:10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.��