We often focus on the question: "Do you believe in God?" Yet we seldom go on to the crucial question: "Why is it important to KNOW God?"
Why do we desire or need to identify that there is a Creator? Why is it important to know Him?
We have the longing and the duty to know the one and only true God Almighty, whose personal name is Jehovah (Yahweh), in order to achieve complete and absolute fulfillment.
Knowing that we have a Creator satisfies our curiosity about our origins. It answers the most important questions we have about life: From where have we come? What is our purpose? Where will we go?
Knowing our Creator also fulfills our lives. It allows us to live the best life possible and guides us in achieving harmony with the laws of nature and the essence of life. Most importantly, it helps us align our walk with the perfect will of Jehovah, fulfilling our purpose as part of God's overall plans. We will have peace of mind, knowing we are moving in the correct direction with the right support. Otherwise, we would be like travelers in the wilderness without maps and a compass to guide us onto the right path to our destination.
But above all, coming to the knowledge of our Creator fulfills our responsibility in rightfully crediting our Designer. Every product in the supermarket displays the manufacturer on its label and packaging; every automobile we drive is emblazoned with its company's name; and every article of clothing we wear bears a tag that shows its brand name. When every manmade product has been credited to its maker, should not the most awesome creation--our universe and all it contains--be especially credited to our Creator as well?
We are grateful for the moment when our children first learn how to talk, for the kisses and hugs we share with our lovers, and for the delectable dishes on our tables; but without our Creator giving us our lives, we would not have had the privilege of enjoying any of these in the first place! So let us thank Him for honoring us with life, so we may delight in all His creations!
(Excerpted, with minor changes, from Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love & Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness by Shirley Cheng. © Shirley Cheng. All rights reserved.)
Jehovah deserves our full and deepest worship, our praise, our love, every minute of our lives, not for selfish reasons, but solely because He is love. All wonderful things bloom from love, so when Jehovah is love, all goodness comes from Him.
There are so many reasons why knowing Jehovah is important, and I wanted others to express their own thoughts, so I asked the question, "Why is it important to know God?" and below are the responses I received from those who have embraced God in their hearts.
"It is important to know God, because He gave us everything: family, food, health, wealth, and much more. By knowing God, you know Who to turn to when you are stuck in life and you feel like you can't get out of the situation that you were put in. God teaches us to pick right from wrong, and it is our choice to pick right, and reject wrong. Lastly, by knowing that God will judge all of our deeds on the Day of Judgment, it makes me want to listen and obey Him more and be a better person." -Alya Nuri, 9-Year-Old Author and Speaker, www.AlyaNuri.com
"It is important to know about the Creator, because that is what motivates us to do the right thing, and stay away from the evil things in life, to follow His guidance that He sent down to us. We all know that if you create something you must give it a manual so people learn how to use it. The Almighty did the same for mankind; He created us then told us to follow a certain way of life, and if we do that we will be successful; if we don't do that we will fail the test of life." -Zohra Sarwari, Author of Imagine That Today Is Your Last Day, www.ZohraSarwari.com
"In our post-modern age, it's all too fashionable to reject historical revelation and opt for a self-styled spirituality. As a Christian, I believe it's important to know God because 'God is love.' The way to know love is to know God. And the only way to truly know God is to know His Son Jesus Christ, who demonstrated His love for us by bearing our guilt, our shame, and our suffering at the cross. As I read through the four gospels, I'm left with one inescapable thought. If God is like Jesus then He can have my heart!" -Aaron D. Taylor, Author/Missionary, www.aarondtaylor.com
"If there was no God we wouldn't even be here! God isn't there to keep bad things from happening to us, He is there to help us get through bad times. Without Him we wouldn't have any comfort or hope." -Collin, 9
"God Almighty makes life complete. He will be your Counselor, your Confidant and your most faithful Friend. He will shelter you from the storms of life and lead and guide you through the difficult times that come your way. He is the hope you cling to when you need to feel loved, cherished or nurtured. He loves unconditionally and that assurance allows you to work through situations and circumstances that would otherwise shatter your life." -Anna Williams, Director of Operations, Appalachia Mission of Hope, www.amohonline.org
"Life takes on more meaning, when a person sees God as the Creator. A creator looks fondly on his or her creation. That fact calls attention to God's love for each human being. God looks forward welcoming us into His realm." -Sue Chehrenegar, Freelance Writer, http://chehrenegar.blogspot.com
"From a theological point of view the reason it is important to know God is because without knowing Him, we cannot experience peace, righteousness or joy. Because He is a just God, our sin separates us but through believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, by faith, we are joined with Him. For me personally, I have continually experience His supernatural provision that has translated me out of continual self sabotage and into His presence where I alone am loved for know other reason then His grace. It has truly been life changing to receive so much affirmation and pure love. I owe Him my whole existence and for that I will be eternally grateful." -Becky Harmon, CTA, CLC, www.successnotsabotage.com
"Having been molested, beaten, and malnourished as a child, I did not feel God would ever care about me or that I was worth of Him caring about me. I hit rock bottom in my teen years. I finally desperately sought some type of validation in my life. Knowing God took me from homeless, unwed teen mom with no hope or future to successful corporate executive full of joy and hope. As I learned more about God, I learned more about my need and desire for Him. I could not ever be a whole person without His guidance and wisdom. My faith has now led me into full-time ministry for a Single Moms Ministry." -Jennifer Maggio, www.thelifeofasinglemom.com
"When my connection to God is strong, I see His work all around me --in my life and in the lives of the people I care about. When my connection is weak, I don't see it even though He continues to work. Knowing God enriches my experience of life." -Christine Lambden, Consulting Skills Trainer, www.ConsultingStance.com
"Every person on this earth finds a need to find out what the purpose of her existence is, why she is here, what she ought to be doing, and what reason there is for reality. No matter where she looks, and no matter how much she puts into the search, she will find no adequate answer to these questions, except in Jesus Christ. He reveals God to her, cleanses her of what stops her from accepting Him, and in Him she finds the ultimate answer to her existence. Whoever drinks of His water will never thirst again." -David Murdoch, Christian Fiction Author and Historical Researcher, www.amazon.com/Ana-Markovic-David-Murdoch/dp/1606936484/ref=sr_1_1/187-6...
"There is a Pythagoras quote: 'Know Thyself.' To know God is to know myself. Not knowing God I am separate and alone and can never be enough. Until I know God I act in ways that limit myself and humanity. When I know God, I see we are One. I see that hurting another hurts me in the most intimate sense. I act in ways that create possibility, unwilling to limit anyone's potential. I see that we each hold critical pieces of the larger puzzle. When I know God, I see God in all things." -Gayle Gregory, Coach, Author, www.workplaceevolution.com and www.pure-possibility.org
"I have believed in God all my life. I feel that He has given me the strength to carry on. I have been a very sick person & my faith has helped me to keep it together. Dad always said, 'If you live your life for God & it isn't true about Heaven, what harm have you done by being a good person? However, if there really is a God, look at the reward that you will have in Heaven.' I feel sorry for those who doesn't believe because I have found so much peace having Him in my life." -Sherri A. Stanczak, Freelance Writer/Author/Poet, http://sherristanczak.webs.com
"If you don't know God you really don't know yourself and I believe, do not have a clear course in life, much like walking around in your house when the lights go out--it can be done but you might walk into the wall or fall down the stairs. Its just much easier and less pain with the lights on." -Herb Palmer, Jr, Author of The Lobster and the Chicken, www.lobsterandchicken.com
"I have found that folks who approach their faith in a personal and creative way, can give really beautiful expression to their innermost feelings and faith experiences. Just as I think artists can draw on a deep part of themselves when they create, people of faith (even if they are not artists) ultimately become creators when they connect with God." -Menachem Wecker, http://menachemwecker.com
"It's important to know God because of our purpose and eternity. We were created by Him to walk in good works before Him. Ephesians 2:10 says, 'For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.' What a tragedy to live this whole life and miss the very purpose for which we were created. It is also important to know God because of eternity. Of the two choices of where we get to spend eternity, spending it in peace in Heaven with God is the better choice!" -Sharon Norris Elliott, Teacher, Author, www.SharonNorrisElliott.com
"For me, knowing the Trinity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--is about hope. When my marriage ended, it was my faith that got me through that. When my only child was killed, it was my faith, plus love of family and friends, that got me through that. Without Christ in my life, there is no life. He is the one constant when everything else is changing. He loves me unconditionally. He is faithful to me. He is my very best friend." -Marsha E. Barker, Christian School Teacher
Shirley Cheng (b. 1983), a blind and physically disabled award-winning author (with twenty book awards, including nine Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Awards), motivational speaker, self-empowerment expert, poet, author of nine books (including "Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love & Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness"), contributor to eighteen, and a parental rights advocate, has had severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since infancy. Owing to years of hospitalization, she received no education until age eleven. Back then, she knew only her ABCs and very simple English; other than that, her book knowledge was non-existent. However, after only about 180 days of special education in elementary school, she mastered grade level in all areas and entered a regular sixth grade class in middle school. Unfortunately, Shirley lost her eyesight at the age of seventeen. After a successful eye surgery, she hopes to earn multiple science doctorates from Harvard University. Visit http://www.shirleycheng.com for more inspiration.