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(Mission Statement) ... To Know God...
We Gather Here to Know God and
Make God Known
The second part of our mission statement is a reflection of our desire to know God and His will. The importance that God places on knowing Him (and His heart) can be seen clearly in many scriptures throughout the bible.
I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart... (Act 13:22)
Thousands of years after David walked this earth, we are still inspired by this shepherd boy turned king who was given the title “a man after God’s own heart”. David had such an intimate relationship with God that it went far beyond that of creator and created. The Psalms written by David show us he greatly desired, pursued and needed God. It was inevitable that he came to know and understand God and His ways.
As members of God’s family, we are called upon to love Him, first and foremost, with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). In order to love God we must know God. Not just know 'about' Him in a purely intellectual way, but to know Him in a personal, heartfelt manner that enables us to have a relationship with Him. David’s relationship with the Lord is an inspiration to us all. He passionately desired to know God more than anything else. We can see this clearly from the words he used in his Psalms, such as yearning, thirsting, and hungering.
We are called by God to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Knowing God is a journey and a process. Can any of us say that we know God well enough? It is neither instant nor is it automatic; in fact it is a constant pursuit that will take the rest of our lives.
As a church that is committed to knowing God, we purposefully seek to be closer to Him. The Bible says “…let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). Our worship of God needs to be conducted in a way that pleases Him. When we worship, God looks past our words and our singing to see the attitude in our hearts. God gives us emotions so that we can worship Him with deep feelings.
When we gather together for the breaking of bread and drinking of wine, let us do so with hearts that desire to understand His intense love and sacrifice for us on a deeper level. God knows that we are busy, distracted beings, so He instituted the communion in order that we could regularly realign our hearts and minds, and never forget His grace and mercy.
When we come together for deeper bible teaching, let us be grateful for the way God reveals Himself to us in His Word. Truly the treasure of God’s Word is so deep and rich (Romans 11:13) and His Word stands as His counsel forever. How important it is that we take these bible lessons seriously if we desire to know Him and His ways more.
Last but not least, what can replace our own personal devotion to God? It is ultimately our choice how close to God we choose to be. Like any relationship, it takes desire, time and energy to form a deep, intimate connection with God. Drawing near to His Words should be the utmost importance to us each day as we walk through life with it lighting the "path of our feet” (Psalms 119:105). God also desires for us to pour our hearts to Him daily in prayer because He cares how we feel. Lingering in God’s presence will remind us that God is always near (Philippians 4:4-6).
To spend time, energy and effort to know God is to invest in something of eternal, life-changing values. David had many other gifts and strengths – he was well-known for his physical prowess and might as a warrior and king – but more than anything else, he was known as one who had an inspiring relationship with God.