Walking Towards the Lord Means Actively Seeking to Know Him Better

Main Idea: Walking towards the Lord means actively seeking to know Him better, trusting in His love, and embracing His invitation to get to grow in the knowledge of Him.

Text Verse: Hosea 6:3: “Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

• The Hebrew word translated here as “acknowledge” is “יָדַע” (yāda) yah DAH. And it encompasses a deep, intimate knowledge and understanding, often implying a close, personal relationship. Most translations render it, “let us know…”

1. “Let Us know the LORD; Let Us Press On to know Him”

• God want us to know Him. He died to make it happen. And when we say yes to Jesus, we do know Him on a certain level. John 10:11 “My sheep know me.”
  • John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” To have eternal life is to know Jesus.
  • But there are bonus levels to knowing Him that the Lord offers to us.
  • Example: Think of a grand banquet hosted by a loving father who wants for his family. He doesn’t just set out a simple meal; he prepares a lavish feast, with every dish carefully made to delight and nourish. The father eagerly watches as his family enjoys the meal, longing for them to taste every flavor, experience the richness, and be fully satisfied. Similarly, God invites us to not just know Him, but to feast on the abundance of His presence and experience the full richness of His love and grace.
    • Psalm 36:8: “They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.”
  • That is why Paul prayed for the Ephesians: “I keep asking, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation so you may know Him
  • But there are things the Lord has to do in us to prepare us for the greater knowledge of who He is. John 16:12 “There are many things I have to say to you but you cannot bear them right now.”  More must happen in your life.
  • Imagine a dedicated math teacher. She works tirelessly to get her students to understand the basic lessons because she knows the value those lessons will have for the child’s later education. In fact, she knows without those basic lessons the child could not possibly grasp the higher levels of math.
  • The Lord uses life as His classroom, and the lesson He wants us to learn is who He is.
    • More of Him is connected to More of Me
    • Jeremiah 30:21: “Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me—for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the Lord.”
    • That question! “Who is he who will devote himself to be close to Me.
  • Let Us Press On:
    • Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

2. “As Surely as the Sun Rises, He Will Appear”
   • God will certainly reveal more of Himself to us.
   • As the sun rises every morning,God’s faithfulness is unwavering.
     • Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

3. “He Will Come to Us Like the Winter Rains; Like the Spring Rains That Water the Earth”
   • He will reveal Himself in abundant measure.
   • Example: Like the rain, growing in our knowledge of the Lord refreshes and revitalizes our spirit, bringing growth and renewal in ways we may not have imagined. Just as the land flourishes because of the rain so a growing knowledge of the Lord causes us to thrive spiritually.
   • Feeling Old and Tired. Nothing new is going to grow in or from this body.  Or feeling discouraged
   • You aren’t the only one who felt too old, tired, or whatever for God to bring forth amazing growth: Genesis 18 – Sarah
   • The Lord brings rain that soaks the ground of our hearts and lives down to the roots. Walking towards Him believing there is more will not disappoint.  As He said to Sarah, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord.
   • Believe the Lord for miracles that can happen to us and for us. But don’t forget to believe Him for the miracles that can happen IN us to change the way  we see and feel about our relationship with Him.  More is always ahead of us!