What is the best thing in life? What brings more joy, delight, and contentment than anything else? It is knowing God.
God says, “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” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Wisdom, strength, money, health, and success may seem important, but none of these can save our souls. They cannot give us peace with God. They cannot cleanse us from sin. They cannot carry us into eternity. The greatest treasure is to know the Lord, to understand His heart, and to walk in His ways.
God does not want us to glory in ourselves. He wants us to rejoice in Him. Philippians 3:3 says that true worshipers “worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” This means our confidence is not in what we know, what we have, or what we can do. Our confidence is in Christ.
Knowing God is not just knowing facts about Him. It is having a real relationship with Him. It is listening to Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, and being changed by Him.
God Delights in Being Known
What brings pleasure to God? He tells us plainly: “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6 KJV).
God wants more than outward religion. He wants our hearts. He wants us to know Him, love Him, and walk with Him. We can do many religious things and still miss His heart if we do not truly know Him.
From the very first verse of the Bible, we see God as Creator: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Everything begins with Him. He made the heavens and the earth. He made us. He knows us. He gives life, purpose, and direction.
Genesis also shows us that before God spoke, the earth was “without form, and void,” and darkness was upon the deep (Genesis 1:2). That is a picture of what our lives are like without God. Without Him, there is confusion, emptiness, and darkness. But when God speaks, light comes. When His Spirit works in us, He brings new life.
Knowing God Through His Word
We cannot truly know God if we ignore His Word. Romans 10:14 asks, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” Faith begins by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The Bible is not only given to be read. It is given to be believed and obeyed. God’s Word teaches us what is true, what is right, and how to live in a way that pleases Him.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Without the light of God’s Word, we can easily be led by our own thoughts, feelings, fears, and desires. We may think we are going the right way, but our own understanding can lead us away from God.
God also said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Not knowing God’s truth can hurt us. When we do not take time to learn His Word, we may not understand His ways. And when we do not understand His ways, we may choose sin, pride, fear, or unbelief without realizing how far we are drifting.
God’s Word Shows Us Our Need for Grace
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all need mercy. None of us can stand before God in our own goodness. But Romans 3:24 says we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Grace is a gift, but we must not treat it carelessly. God’s grace teaches us to stay close to Him, turn from sin, listen to His Word, and let His Spirit lead us. The more we know His Word, the more we learn His heart.
Knowing His Acts and His Ways
Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” There is a difference between only seeing what God does and learning who God is. God wants us to know more than His blessings. He wants us to know His ways.
His ways teach us humility, obedience, love, forgiveness, patience, and faith. His Word shows us how He thinks, what He loves, what He hates, what He promises, and how He calls us to live.
How We Grow in Knowing God
- Read God’s Word daily, even if it is only a small portion.
- Pray before you read and ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding.
- Do not only read for information; read to know God’s heart.
- Obey what God shows you, even when it is hard.
- Trust the Lord more than your own understanding.
- Stay close to Jesus, because He is the living Word of God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” When we know God’s Word and follow His ways, He leads us with wisdom, peace, and truth.
Reflection
Ask yourself: Am I only hearing about God, or am I seeking to know Him for myself? Am I letting His Word shape my thoughts, my choices, and my way of living?
Let us be people who prize the knowledge of God above everything else. Let us seek Him daily, read His Word with humble hearts, and ask Him to teach us His ways. The greatest thing in life is not simply to know more, but to know Him.
Prayer: Lord, help me to know You more. Give me hunger for Your Word and understanding of Your ways. Keep me from leaning on my own thoughts, and teach me to walk in truth, obedience, and love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Minister A Francine Green, September 2026