Getting to Know God - Your Daily Forward Devotional

Getting to Know God

April 21

Read Romans 11:33 (ESV)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Reflect

Why do you read your Bible? What impact does reading the Word of God have on your life?

If I asked you why it’s important to read your Bible, how would you respond? Many people say they read their Bibles to learn more about God. Scripture also communicates God’s law so people read it because they rightly want to avoid sin. The Bible also answers major worldview questions like the origin and nature of the earth and mankind, what is our purpose, what’s right, what’s wrong, what’s real, and what happens when we die, etc.

The Bible tells us that we were created by God, it explains our relationship with God, our history with God, how we can be made right with God. The Bible teaches us God’s wisdom and gives us discernment. It shows us how to live godly and holy lives.

God is so vast and so infinite that we humans can’t fully fathom or grasp all there is to know about God. Paul beautifully expressed that truth in today’s verse. He wrote that God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge are so deep they are beyond our human capacity to understand. God is omniscient, or all-knowing. It is impossible for us to fully comprehend or understand His plans and purposes. The fact is that we can only know anything about God because He chose to reveal Himself to us. He does this in different ways.

First, there is general revelation. We can learn about God through what He has made and what we can observe in the world. Second, there is special revelation. This is any time God chooses to reveal Himself to us by supernatural and miraculous means. Over the course of history, God has revealed Himself to humans by appearing to them physically or in a vision or a dream. Jesus Christ is the ultimate special revelation!

But the primary way that God reveals Himself to us is through His written word—the Bible. Everything He wants us to know about Himself, He divinely inspired the authors of Scripture to write. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Paul wrote: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

But is gaining knowledge about God the only reason why reading the Bible is an important spiritual discipline? No, that’s only part of the equation! There are people who know an awful lot about God and the Bible but they are not saved! Why? They reject it as truth and do not apply it to their lives. This is why James told us not to be hearers of the Word only but doers of the Word (James 1:22).

When we read the Bible and gain knowledge and understanding but fail to apply it to our lives, we are missing out on the transformative power of God’s Word! Paul said that Scripture renews our minds. He wrote: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2).

Friends, we don’t just read the Bible to know more about God. We read the Bible because the knowledge that we gain has the power to completely transform our lives! Today, I encourage you to spend some time in the Word. But before you get started, ask God to take what you read today and show you how to apply to your life. Ask Him to renew your mind and transform your life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray

God, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Thank You for revealing Yourself to us. Please show me how to apply it to my life. Renew my mind and transform me by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

~ Pastor Nat Crawford

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