Is Knowing God Your Top Priority?

Scripture: Philippians 3:10, NIV and Job 22:21–25, NIV

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10, NIV).

“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you” (Job 22:21–25, NIV).

Here it is in a nutshell: Knowing God through Christ is priority number one in the life of the Christian.

As we get to know God and store his Word in our heart, the Word of God will become personally operative in our life.

Paul wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection above all.

Job realized that a relationship with God was more valuable than the finest gold. God became Job’s gold and silver, the two items that the world most values.

Nothing can compare to knowing the King of Kings and experiencing his favor. All the significant characters in the Bible made this great discovery. Jeremiah stated:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23–24, NIV).

A single characteristic identifies all of the Bible greats: They knew God.

This should also be our first priority. From that relationship will flow all that is important in life, now and forever. Everything is sourced in almighty God. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20, NIV).

Yes; let us receive instruction from his mouth, and store up his words in our heart.

Today, ask yourself:

Is knowing God my top priority? In what ways am I storing up his words in my heart?