The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom should I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart is not afraid; though a war breaks out against me, still I am confident. I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the LORD and seeking Him in His temple.     Psalm 27:1-4 HCSB

Psalm 27 is a beautiful Psalm written by David. David had known the Lord since he was a young boy. He knew when he went against the giant, Goliath, that God had his back. This young shepherd boy faced this giant who was nine feet, nine inches tall. Goliath taunted this young boy who came out to him with a slingshot and a few stones. But David replied, “I come against you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel’s armies-you have defied Him. Today, the Lord will hand you over to me.”

Even as a young shepherd boy, David knew the God he served would take care of this giant that stood before him. David would go on to suffer many years under Saul, the king. Saul would have times when he loved David, but many more times when he hated him and sought to kill him. There were several times David could have easily killed Saul, but he knew God well enough to know this was not what God wanted. He knew God would take care of Saul in His own timing. He also knew that God would protect Him while he waited.

David grew into a mighty warrior who became king. The Bible tells us he was a handsome young man(1 Samuel 16:12) and a brilliant military strategist (2 Samuel 15-18). David knew God went before him in these battles. He knew his victories belonged to the Lord.

David confessed his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. He knew God was a just God. In Psalm 51, He prayed to God for grace and compassion. He asked God to wash away his guilt and cleanse him from his sin. He asked for purification.

David knew God. He knew that he was slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Isaiah 69:3) He also knew that God desires integrity and wisdom from His people. He knew that he needed God in his life. David knew God and therefore had a loving relationship with Him.

It’s hard for us to love someone we don’t know. People get married after they feel they have gotten to know someone. God wants us to enter into a deeply committed relationship with Him, a marriage, if you will. But, He wants us to know Him. The only way we can truly get to know Him is through communication which includes both prayer and Bible Study. God’s Holy Word tells us all about Him. It tells us of the loving Father that provides peace, joy, comfort, and protection. It also tells us of the God who punishes those who are disobedient.

Reading our Bibles every now and then just won’t do. It won’t get us into that intimate relationship with Him that can be life changing. We must study His word. We must strive to have a deeper understanding of what He is saying to us through His Holy Word.

A little prayer before the meal and a good night prayer won’t do either. Our prayers should be constant throughout the day. We should consider Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). From the smallest decisions we make to the biggest life changing decisions, we should talk to Him about it. We should consider what He would have us to do. The wisest decisions we will ever make are those where we seek His guidance.

Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is that we love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind (Matthew 22:37). When we truly know God, we can’t help but love Him with all we’ve got. We want to please Him. We want to do the things He has commanded us to do. We want to live our lives in a way that brings Him glory and honor and praise.

If you know God and have entered into a loving relationship with Him, you know what I mean. If you don’t know God, then you have no idea what you are missing. What are you waiting for? Draw near to Him today. Trust in Him and acknowledge Him in all you do. Talk to Him through prayer and get to know Him through Bible study.

Have a great day!