The Most Important

Many things in life are most important.  For a businessman, the most important often is what is referred to as the bottom-line profit.  For an athlete, the most important often is if they achieve their goal.  For a couple getting married, the most important often is whether they have true love.  For a Christian, the most important thing in the world is growing in their knowledge of God.  John 17:3 (GW)  This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

We often miss the fact that the birth and ministry of Jesus, His passion week including the resurrection all were specifically designed to enable us to know God in a personal way.  Becoming a Christian is not just a mindless spiritual experience but includes a personal experience with knowledge and understanding of God.  Unless there is a growing desire to know about God and follow His truths, there is something amiss in one’s spiritual health.  Ezekiel 36:27 (NLT2)  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.  To be careful is to always be alert, in this case, to anything that would distract you from wanting to know more of who God is and follow His laws of life.

Consider what is at the core of what the Bible says.   Writing of the future Jeremiah 24:7 (GW)  I will give them the desire to know that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, because they will wholeheartedly come back to me.  Jeremiah 31:34 (GW)  No longer will each person teach his neighbors or his relatives by saying, ‘Know the LORD.’ All of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” declares the LORD, “because I will forgive their wickedness and I will no longer hold their sins against them.”  Isaiah 11:9b (GW) The world will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD like water covering the sea.

When explaining spiritual maturity Paul does not refer to religious words, Bible memorization, religious deeds or miraculous deeds.  Rather he writes that believers are to help each other continue to grow until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard (Ephesians 4:13, GW).    

We can go to church, dutifully read our Bible in a cursory way, give tithe and offerings, be active in church ministries and still fall short of growing in the knowledge of our God.  (1 Tim 6:20-21)  Take a moment and look back on what you have learned about God, His truth, His ways, His values in the last 30 days.  What have truths have you come to understand or gain greater or fresh clarity on regarding the Bible God?  Or have you inadvertently lost your hunger and thirst and have become content with what knowledge you do have of God?  Remember God is far too vast and great to know all there is to know about Him in your lifetime.  The most important thing you can do in this life is to deliberately press to know God in a more intimate and complete way.  This increased knowledge of Him will naturally result in greater love and faith in Him.  (Ps. 9.10)

The part that most of us forget is the fact God desires for you to experience His joy not dull routine.  Jesus said John 10:10b (NLT2) My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.  The Bible teaches He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)  With those promises on the table, why not pull up a chair and learn to feast on what can be discovered as you study more deeply in God’s word to gain more knowledge about Him?  Jesus promised Matthew 5:6 (GW) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied.  

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