My People Perish

Have you ever had one of those “AHA!” moments while reading the Word of God? It’s so exciting when that happens. It’s like God just opens up His heart and says by the Holy Spirit “This is what I am trying to convey here … the gift I want you to receive.” Yet, at the same time you feel kind of like an idiot because you think “How is it that I didn’t get this before?” Well, I had one of those moments in my devotional time the other morning as I was reading my Bible.

I was reading the book of Hosea and my eyes were suddenly opened to this statement … “… my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6 NIV The author of the commentary said this, “Death and destruction were coming upon the people of Israel. Why? In God’s own words: ‘My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge’ (4:6). In a nation founded by God, built upon godly principles and centered around the temple by God, it seems incredible to think there was no knowledge of God. But the issue was not facts about God; the issue was firsthand experience with God.”

I read and re-read that statement mulling it over in my heart and mind … then it hit me. It was one of those “suddenly” moments … God was saying that we perish because we don’t know Him. The more I thought about it the more I recognized His heart … we as Believers don’t know Him like we should. We have an understanding and knowledge of His Word, we know how to preach and teach it, we even know how to pray it but we don’t have a depth of knowledge of Him. It’s like thinking we know someone just because we read a portion of their journal but we don’t have any relationship with them on any personal level.

When we know someone it is on a deeply intimate level that goes beyond the physical to the spiritual. Knowing God is intimacy on a plain that goes to the deepest core of your innermost being, it moves you in every way ... emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. In the knowing of Him, you are changed in such a way that some who knew you before would say that they don't recognize you as the person you used to be. Knowing God takes you to places you could never experience without Him, to the highest of highs and yes, sometimes the lowest of lows (Don’t believe me? Read the Psalms.) and yet it is an encounter which if you strive for "knowing Him" daily will take you beyond what your mind can even begin to comprehend. Joy incomprehensible. Peace unsurpassable. Love unfathomable.

Knowing God is more than just reading His Word and praying a passionate prayer … it is an adventure in Him. It draws you to a place of depth where you love fearlessly and give selflessly.

Knowing God is to dance with Him through life’s many challenges and know that He will guide your steps to a place of passionate praise. Dance with abandon!