To Know Him Better
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I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
- Ephesians 1:17-19
What does it mean to know someone? You can read a memoir and at the end you know a lot about the person. You can meet someone once and then say you know him. But in both of these instances, you will not truly know the person. If you want to get to know someone, you need to spend time with them.
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians that they “may receive the Spirit of wisdom” has roots in the Old Testament. God offered Solomon whatever he wanted, and he requested wisdom and knowledge, that he may lead God’s people (1 Kings 3:9). The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request and granted him a wise and discerning heart, but also blessed him with wealth and honor.
Paul acknowledges that the Ephesians already know God, but prays that they may “know him better.” But how do you get to know a God who is unsearchable and lives in unapproachable light (Romans 11:33; 1 Timothy 6:16)? Thankfully, God has revealed himself to us in scripture and through his son Jesus Christ. John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”
To truly know God, we must listen to what God has revealed about Himself in scripture. Immersing yourself in scripture through bible classes, worship, preaching, or simply reading the bible will guide you to a deeper knowledge of the Lord. Yet, this kind of knowing that Paul desired for the Ephesians is not simply factual. It is knowing God in a personal way.
To know someone on a personal level requires spending time with them, the same is true for our relationship with God. We should not dive into scripture with the goal of learning the facts so that we can win rounds of bible trivia. We should spend time in scripture and prayer to truly know God, to form a connection and be united with Him. Experiencing this unity and deeper knowledge will help you come to love the Lord the way he wants you to.
Let the knowledge of the Lord change your life. Know the hope to which you have been called. Know the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. Know the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us as seen through the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus. Make if your goal to get to know God and let yourself experience the joy and wealth of knowing Christ.