Our Knowable God

   ​Many envision God as a distant figure – unapproachable and unknowable. He sets the world in motion but doesn’t interfere. He just stands back and watches what happens in your life. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, The God of the Bible brings you into the world with purpose. He wants you to know him. He surrounds you with the beauty of each new day so you will understand his glory. Impressive landscapes, towering mountains, intricate flowers, powerful thunderstorms, endless galaxies, and tart summer berries all speak of his nature. The psalmist sings, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1 NIV)
   God doesn’t stop there. Over the course of 16 centuries, through 40 prophets and apostles, the Holy Spirit of God breathes out words to reveal himself to you. As you read the words of Scripture, his Spirit fills your mind with understanding of who he is and what he’s doing. The psalmist continues his song, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV)
   God doesn’t stop there, either. To personally reveal himself to the world, he sends his Son, Emmanuel; God with us. Jesus touches lepers, shares meals, tells stories, laughs, cries, and suffers. He is the visual reality of God in human flesh. The writer of Hebrews says, “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) To know Jesus is to know God.
   God wants you to know him. Through creation, written word and Living Word, he speaks. If you claim you haven’t heard, the Bible says you are without excuse. His presence is all around you. It could be you’re just too busy living the life he gave you to notice.
   There is another way God makes himself known – through His people. Those who trust in Jesus become his witnesses. Our lives exhibit the presence of God in us. Changed hearts, loving service, and godly attitudes direct others to find God. Jesus commissioned his followers to continue his work and spread the good news.
   If you know God, its probably because you were impressed by his creation and began to seek him. Maybe you saw him in the love of one of his followers and asked about him. Maybe someone was kind and brave enough to tell you about Jesus. Eventually your questions led you to the person of Jesus Christ, and the Bible where his story is told. It all begins with the truth that God is knowable and he wants to be known. You could not know God apart from his desire to be known. J.I. Packer in his classic book, Knowing God, writes, “Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place on their own accord.” Knowing God is an eternal journey worth pursuing and a privilege to embrace daily. He wants to be known, and you need to know him.