Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. – Psalm 9:10
Listen to “How Great Is Our God” by Joshua Aaron in Jerusalem
It’s interesting that the word for “know” that the psalmist uses here in the original language of the Old Testament is yadah. It means “to know intimately.” It literally means to get right up on the object of our attention and get as close as possible and examine it from every angle. One word study reference says, “in Hebrew thought, one can only know someone if they have a personal and intimate relationship with them.” That’s yadah.
I want to personally get involved with God like that. I want to know all about Him that’s humanly possible, in this life, not only as He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His word, and in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, but I want to experience Him and His power intimately. It’s going to take more than one more Bible study, or one more memory verse, or one more theological doctrine, as good as all of these may be. Here’s how I plan to do it. Maybe you’d like to join me.
Charles H. Kraft, in his challenging book, Confronting Powerless Christianity, reminds us that there are at least three kinds of knowledge: intellectual, observational and experiential. In order to receive the intimacy of truth, especially when it comes to God, our goal should be all three. It’s like a three-legged stool; it’s more stable, functional, and reliable than one with only one leg or two.
MORE TIME IN GOD’S WORD
When I read or hear a promise from the Bible, I have been trained to believe it, intellectually. In my head I know it’s true because other scriptures tell me God’s word is true. But being in my mind doesn’t prove to me that it’s always accurate because that’s only one leg of knowledge. That’s intellectual truth.
MORE TIME WITH GOD’S PEOPLE
However, when I observe that promise from God’s word happening in someone else’s life, through their testimony, that confirms for me the truth that I know intellectually. Now I know it’s true, at least for someone else. That’s observational truth.
MORE TIME WITH GOD
But, when I personally experience that intellectual truth that I have observed in others, because it happens to me, then I know it’s absolute and I don’t care what anybody else says about it ever again. It’s a done deal. That’s experiential truth.
In other words, when I receive truth, observe it working in someone else, then experience it for myself, then I know, that I know, that I know! I want to personally experience God that way, in everything!
That’s my goal for the rest of my life. How about you? – Maranatha!
