An Invitation To Know God Series

“We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit”

A. W. Tozer

Even though God has placed eternity within the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11), sadly few will discover the treasure hidden in the field or the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44–45). It is not because God has concealed Himself or made Himself impossible to find. Scripture declares that creation itself testifies to His existence. Romans 1:20 tells us that through the things that are made, God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen. When we observe the vastness of the universe and the intricate order of creation, we are confronted with the reality that there is a Creator who is sovereign over all things. As Paul reminds us, all things were created by Him and for Him—things visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16). Yet despite this testimony, many still turn away. Though Christ died once for all (Hebrews 10:10), and though the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, countless people still reject the salvation God has provided. The tragic consequence of persistent rebellion is described in Romans 1:24–28, where God gives people over to the results of their own hardened hearts—uncleanness, vile affections, and ultimately a reprobate mind. Scripture is painfully honest about our condition: “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10), and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). To the natural mind, the message of the cross is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18). So if no one is righteous—if every heart is stained by sin—how can anyone possibly be saved?

In a breathtaking demonstration of divine love, God Himself provided the answer. The Bible declares that Christ died once for all (Hebrews 10:10), and whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Jesus made the path unmistakably clear when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Yet Scripture also warns that many—even those who appear religious, who perform works in His name, read the Scriptures, pray, and sing praises—will one day hear the sobering words, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21–23). For before we can truly know God, He must first call us. On one glorious day, the beautiful feet of Christ’s ambassador brought the good news of the gospel to our lives (Romans 10:15; 2 Corinthians 5:20), and everything changed. I want you to pause and reflect on that truth for a moment: God chose you. Many of us are ordinary people. Perhaps you were never the first to be chosen for a team—maybe you were the last. Yet the God who created the universe loved you so deeply that He sent His only Son to bear your sins on the cross. Through Christ, you have been given the invitation to come to Him—to be forgiven, cleansed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), and adopted into God’s family as His child and heir (Ephesians 1:13–14).

God loves all of His creation and desires that none should perish, but if His Spirit lives within you, then rejoice in this marvelous truth: you have been chosen. Throughout this series we have seen that God is far from distant. He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. After forty years as a shepherd in the wilderness, one fiery encounter with the living God transformed Moses into the leader of a nation. God revealed Himself to Abraham and promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. God revealed Himself to Isaiah, and that vision of His holiness produced conviction, cleansing, and a calling that shaped one of the greatest prophetic ministries in Scripture (Isaiah 6:1–8). God revealed Himself to Daniel, and by His power even the mouths of lions were shut (Daniel 6:22). And Saul, the fierce persecutor of the church, encountered the risen Christ and was transformed into Paul—the devoted servant and apostle of the Most High (Acts 9:3–6).

We have also learned that under the shadow of the Almighty’s wings there is peace, rest, and a place to truly know our Creator (Psalm 91:1–4). Though we struggle at times to draw closer to God, the clouds that obscure the Son can be confessed and removed by the One who atoned for all our sins (1 John 1:9). God is calling us today into a relationship with Him—not one of mere knowledge, but one marked by intimacy, humility, submission, and truth. In Christ, we are no longer strangers and slaves, but beloved children of God—deeply loved and eternally secure. And in His presence we discover that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

The Pursuit of God

Spurgeon once said, “The Christian life is either progressing or declining—there is no standing still.” When a person is truly born again, the Spirit of God begins a lifelong work of transformation. Though believers become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), this does not mean our relationship with God begins with spiritual maturity. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us to say no to sin (Romans 6:12–14), yet we still wrestle with leaving behind the old patterns of life. Scripture calls us to put off the old self and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22–24), but too often our hearts drift toward the temporary things of this world rather than the eternal things of God. If we truly desire to draw near to God, it will never be accomplished by sheer determination, as though anyone could climb his way to heaven by personal effort.