I’m Not Impressed!!

There are moments on this journey of faith when God uses the simplest things to teach me deeper truths. 

Recently, I caught myself thinking about how much I know about certain celebrities, public figures and even ministry leaders. If you were to ask me about them, I could probably tell you quite a bit. I might even know where they live, who they’re married to, or if they have children. The truth is, I’ve spent a lot of time learning about their lives, yet, they have no idea who I am. Interesting, isn’t it? To know so much about someone yet have no real relationship with them.

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A few weeks ago, I began a study on the life of Paul with a group of ladies I meet with regularly. We explored his life before and after his conversion, and I was struck by Paul’s legalism - he diligently studied the scriptures but did not truly know the Son of God. Then, it hit me. How often had I treated God that way? I spoke about Him, sang songs about Him, and even served in His name, yet I never truly knew Him. I knew the bible stories of how He parted the Red Sea, flooded the earth and caused a large fish to swallow Jonah - but knowing about God and knowing God are two, very different things.

Before his encounter with Jesus, Paul believed he was serving God by persecuting Christians. In his zeal, he thought their message opposed the truth of God, so he made it his mission to imprison believers, and even consented to some being killed. It’s heartbreaking to realize that someone could be so passionate about God and still be so far from Him.

My study led me to Philippians 3, where Paul reflected on his life before Christ. He lists his religious credentials - all the things he once took pride in - but now, he counts them as worthless compared to knowing Christ:

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death.”  Philippians 3:8–10 

“I want to know Him.”

Those five words stood out to me. Paul, a man who diligently studied scriptures and was well-versed in the Law, is confessing, “I want to know Christ.” Do I really know Jesus Christ? Paul’s plea caused me to pause and examine my heart. It’s so easy to get caught up in religious practices, routines, or even good works and still miss the heart of a true relationship with Christ. I can serve, study, and strive, but do I truly know Him?

Is it important to know Christ? Absolutely! Paul’s prayer for the believers in Ephesus reminds us of this truth:

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”  Ephesians 1:17 

Paul understood that knowing Christ is not a one-time experience, it’s a continual pursuit. Each day offers us another opportunity to draw closer, to know Him- not just intellectually, but intimately.

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A few weeks ago, our church participated in a community prayer walk where we had the opportunity to meet and speak with various people. I was reminded of how diverse our beliefs can be. One thing that stood out to me was how quickly some people disclosed their religious affiliation, as if to put up a wall, and expressed no interest in hearing about Jesus. It made me pause and reflect on how easily hearts can close to the very One who longs to reach them.

It doesn’t matter how much we say we know about God or all we might do in His name, He is not impressed by any of it. What moves His heart is a relationship with Him. Paul’s transformation reminds me that true faith is not about legalism or knowledge; it’s about relationships. We can know about God and still miss knowing Him personally, but when we truly encounter Jesus, everything changes. Our priorities shift and what once seemed important fades in comparison to the joy of knowing Him intimately.

Knowing God grows out of a genuine relationship, not daily checklists or routines. It blossoms in the quiet moments of prayer, in time spent in His Word, and in the daily surrender of our will and heart to Him.

So I ask myself, and maybe you can ask yourself too, do I just know about God, or do I really know Him?

While writing this reflection, the Spirit of the Lord took me to Mark 12. As I read, verse 24 stood out:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God?’”

I wanted to understand what the Lord was revealing. As I read different translations, I realized that the Sadducees and Pharisees, though outwardly pious, lacked true understanding of scripture and intimacy with Christ. They prided themselves in knowing the written word, but the Living Word was among them and they rejected Him. 

 As I looked at Paul, I began to see why he longed to know Christ in a deeper, more personal way and that has become my prayer as well.

My friends, this journey with God is personal. Each step draws us closer to His heart. Let’s not settle for merely knowing about Him, let’s walk with Him, experience His presence, and live in the fullness of who He is.