Hosanna Restoration Church

Salvation is a good thing, but knowing Him is better! God saved us so we could know Him. He never intended for people to find their way to the starting blocks and then just sit there looking at the finish line, watching others run. People do not spend years training for the Olympics just to say they got there; they finish their course.

My hearts desire is that people know and enjoy the Lord. There are, I think, many people who have come to the knowledge of salvation, but have never come to really know or enjoy the presence of the Lord. Trophies on shelf only gather dust.

Many years ago, I was blessed to win a state talent contest. I love to sing and I loved the rush of performing. I still have the trophy from that victory somewhere, but it is of little value. I do not carry it around expecting it to open doors for the future! I still love to sing, but now I sing to worship the Lord and bring Him glory. I sing in order to know Him more. That contest ended with a trophy and that was it. What a sad thing it is if a person receives salvation and then leaves it sitting on a shelf to be used as a ticket into heaven.

God took such pleasure in planning for our lives with Him; we really should enter into this celebration with Him. Knowing Him produces a sensation of celebration in our hearts. In the psalms we learn how just the thought of the Lord would transform the lives of the psalmists. God has not changed! The only thing that ever changes about God is that He just keeps getting better.

The Message Bible goes on to tell us that it is in Christ that find out who we are and what we are living for. Oh what joy to walk in fellowship with God! To know Him, truly is to love Him. A person has not swooned until they have swooned over the goodness of God. We have not really known love until we have really loved Him and experienced His love.

We get little sensations in life that give us little glimpses of what His fullness is like, but the real thing is beyond what we can hope or imagine. Those years ago when I was given the opportunity to perform for a few thousand people, I was hooked on that feeling. It was what I wanted. In fact I once said I would sell my soul to be able to do that forever. Well, I now know the fullness of that feeling. Singing to the Lord is so far beyond what I experienced then, and I did need to sell my soul, I only needed to receive His gift.

Oh that everyone would love and praise the Lord. Oh that I would know, love, and praise Him more and better. This is what we are living for, and as we do it, others will have the opportunity to see what life is really all about.