Knowing Our God

Praying is an ancient word that roughly meant what pleading means today. “Please, Lord…” is how those approaches to Yahweh start. If all my conversations with you were requests that you would do something for me or give me something, you would not enjoy our conversations much. When you talk, and I listen, and I talk, and you listen, and information is exchanged and intimacy is formed, the conversations we have are building a relationship.

How many times did Jesus direct a statement to “those who have ears to hear”? It is difficult to believe that He taught a few people a few things and then doesn’t have anything to say for a few millennia. He still wants to say things to people who will have ears for His voice.

Our relationship with our King and our Savior should be built on and strengthened through conversation. Articulating our concerns, our questions, our requests and our praise, and listening to His instructions, encouragement, correction, and questions. Learning to interact with Him at that level is a process. We won’t get all of it right. We won’t remember to do it on days. It is the path of life and of righteousness, though. It is important at life and death level on days.

“I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.”

Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
(John 10:1-6 HCSB ©®)