Knowing OF vs. Knowing

I was digging through the archives today and found this post from a year ago.  I still feel it is one of my strongest posts, and one of the biggest epiphanies that I've ever had.   (The photos, however, are from this past weekend.)

The other day I was showering (I know, TMI. But that's when I get some of my best, uninterrupted thinking time in!) 

Let's try that again...

The other day during my shower, ahem, some "uninterrupted thinking time", I was struck by something. There is a HUGE difference between knowing OF someone and knowing someone.

For instance, I know OF  President Obama. I know a few superficial facts, but nothing meaningful. For example: What does he like on his pancakes? Is he a buttermilk-only kind of guy, or does he like blueberries or chocolate chips in his pancakes? Darn, does the man even EAT pancakes? (Not that any of this really matters -- don't get lost in the President's pancakes here.) What I'm saying is that I KNOW OF him, I don't KNOW him.

For most of my life, I have known OF Jesus. I went to Sunday School as a child and heard the stories. What do I remember most from those days? The noodle necklace I made for my mom.

As I grew, I knew OF God. I believed that He watched out for me and loved me -- in a a sort of "yeah, yeah" way (my thought, not His). I never spent much time thinking about Him, nor spent time with Him. I lived a life with the philosophy that if I was doing something wrong, God would let me know. I used Him as my back up plan. I had no idea how much I was missing out on...

So, my epiphany in the shower: There is a HUGE difference in KNOWING OF God and KNOWING God.

God wants us to KNOW Him. Not KNOW OF Him.

I looked up the definition of KNOW and my breath was taken away.

-- to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty.

To apprehend clearly and with certainty. Wow.

What I know is that God desires for each of us to KNOW him. In order to do that, it requires a relationship. Time spent together. Talking together. Sharing dreams, hopes, worries, concerns. Time spent listening. To KNOW Him clearly and with certainty.

So today, my friends, I challenge you to look at your relationship with God. And I ask you: Do you KNOW my Jesus?

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10