Want to know God?

First Baptist Church, Sulligent

Over my desk hangs an autographed print celebrating Paul “Bear” Bryant’s 315th win. (Yes, for the record, I am an unrepentant Alabama fan.) The autograph reads, “10/21/82 — To Johnny, Best Wishes, Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant.” To say this is a treasured possession of mine would be a serious understatement.

I proudly display it and gladly point out that it is personally autographed to any and all who take time to notice it. I know a lot about coach Bryant. I grew up watching his teams. I remember driving by the practice field in my childhood days and seeing the coach in his mighty tower. Coach Bryant was one of my heroes. 

It is interesting that in spite of all the information I know about coach Bryant and the personally signed print I have in my office, I never met the man. I cannot say I know him.

Oh, I can talk about him and tell you all kinds of interesting anecdotal stories, which would lead you to believe I have an intimate personal knowledge of him. But the simple truth is I never shared a single conversation with the man.

I wonder if there aren’t some readers who find themselves in a similar position with their so-called relationship with Jesus Christ — knowing all kinds of things about Him but not really knowing Him. Jesus warned His followers about people like this, saying, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven … I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matt. 7:21, 23). 

If this describes your relationship with Jesus right now, then may I invite you to move beyond knowing about Him?

Maybe today you would simply pray, “Lord Jesus, I know a lot about you and the wonderful things you have done, but I don’t believe I have a relationship with you. I don’t want to stand before you at judgment and hear you say, ‘I never knew you.’ Lord Jesus, I invite you to come in and give me a new life with you. I look forward to getting to know you personally.”