They smiled politely when I said hello. “Who are you? Who do we both know?” they asked curiously.
“I’m Sabrina, Anna’s daughter.”
Familiarity flooded their hearts and their faces, followed by hugs. At the mention of their friend’s name, they knew who I was and remembered my family.
A benefit of persistent prayer is that it helps us become better acquainted with God. The more time we spend with Him, the more time spent in His presence, the more we know God.
It’s easy to learn about God. Hearing rants, raves and accolades to God give us an idea of what He’s like. The wild adventures we read about in the Bible shape our perspective on God. If we were raised in a church setting, our view of God is shaped by the lessons and songs we learned in childhood. Often, the biggest impact about God comes from the way we’re treated by people who claim to be His followers.
Knowing about God is one thing. To actually know Him for ourselves is a vastly different experience.
Had I greeted these family friends by saying that I had only heard about them, the conversation would have faded within moments. Instead, we were able to have a lovely visit because we knew each other.
Knowing God personally, having an intimate relationship with Him One-to-one gives us a better understanding of His mysterious and inexplicable love. Knowing God for ourselves prevents us from being easily swayed by the temptations that His enemy plants. In efforts to distract us from God and His goodness, the enemy sets up all types of traps and obstacles—even disguising good things—in attempts to change our minds about God and to sever our relationship with Him.
Knowing God personally helps us discern His voice better. We’re able to recognize His blessings and accept His miracles by faith, with no explanation required. Knowing God helps us to keep on praying because we want to keep our relationship alive. The more we know God, the more we learn about the depth of layers to Him.
May we keep persisting with God in prayer. Not just for answers to our requests but to know Him for ourselves.
{Find the other posts in this series on persistent prayer here.}