Knowing God Through Obedience and Experience

Devotional
There's a vast difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God. The Israelites had knowledge about God—His laws, His history with their nation, the proper sacrifices to bring. But they lacked the intimate, experiential knowledge that comes through faithful obedience and personal encounter. Genuine knowledge of God combines both obedience and experience. When we obey God's Word, we experience His faithfulness, goodness, and power in new ways. These experiences deepen our trust and lead to greater obedience, creating a beautiful cycle of growing intimacy with Him. Without obedience, our spiritual experiences can become untethered from truth. Without experience, our obedience can become dry and legalistic. God desires both—He wants us to walk in obedience to His Word while also experiencing His presence, power, and love in tangible ways. As we seek to know God more deeply, we must commit to both studying His Word and applying it in our daily lives. We must create space to experience His presence through prayer, worship, and community. The more we know Him, the more we'll love Him, and the more our lives will reflect His character to the world around us.

Bible Verse
"They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." - Titus 1:16

Reflection Question
In what ways have you experienced God's character through obedience to His Word? Are you currently leaning more toward knowledge without experience, or experience without grounding in Scripture?

Quote
"The highest sense of knowing God is with obedience and experience. The two go together."

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I want to know You, not just know about You. Help me to obey Your Word faithfully and to experience Your presence powerfully. Balance my head knowledge with heart experience, that I might know You more fully each day. In Jesus' name, amen.