Press On To Know God

I recently just finished reading through Hosea. In it God talks a lot about His people turning away and forsaking Him for false gods which will ultimately result in their ruin. God warns them of what will happen if they continue in their rebellion, but in chapter 6 Hosea gives an amazing admonition to Israel. "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us...that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD." (Hosea 6:1-3)

Even after all the evil Israel had done, God still offers mercy through Hosea's call. But what I find so intriguing is the last part. Hosea says, "Let us press on to know the LORD." You see, that was Israel's root problem in all their other sins; they did not press on to know the Lord. They wanted to know something else, not God. But knowing all these other things leads to death, but knowing God is eternal life! (John 17:3)

This made me think about the Christian life we live. We say we know God, but are we pressing on to know Him. Being a Christian is not just something you do once in your life where you pray for Jesus to come into your heart. A Christian, a person who truly has eternal life is someone who knows God! That is why Jesus came, to give us eternal life, which is knowing Him!

But so many times we get so overloaded in our lives that we fail to press on in knowing God. We rely on our past encounters to sustain us. But if we do that then we will find that we will slowly drift away. Hosea (and God) cried out to Israel to not do this. I think we should listen to their cry as well. Don't just sit down and do nothing in your spiritual life...press on to know God! Read, Pray, Serve, give yourself fully to Him! Don't let your life get so cluttered with everything else that you forget Him. Thirst and yearn for Him, because He satisfies! Spend time with your Lord, for in His presence is fullness of joy! It is hard work, but it is so worth it! Press on to know the LORD!