FAITH CAPSULE: knowing God is living life constantly in obedience to the Word of God.

2 Kings 5:1-5

Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. By virtue of ignorance, many only know about God thinking they actually know God. Just by going to church on Sundays or being very active in the church is not enough to know Him. Also, just by answering to different title in the church is not enough to know God. There more apostles, prophet and every other title in the church today that only knows about God and not know God. Going to church on Sundays could become a religious ritual for you and not Jesus-reality. Above all, knowing God is living life constantly in obedience to the Word of God.
The story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Syria, demonstrates what it means to know about God and not know God. At a time when Naaman needed healing from leprosy he realized the difference between knowing God and knowing about God. He was permitted to go and see Elisha by the King of Israel. Naaman knew he was going to meet a man of God. He had the knowledge about the God of Israel who can get him cleansed from leprosy but he did not know God. In traveling to Israel, Naaman could not get to see Elisha as he expected, but received direction about what he was to do to be cleansed. He was told to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman responded with anger generated from his pride, 2 Kings 5:11, “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.”’”Are you having anger issues like those of Naaman? If you are you need to address your pride first. Pride was the root of Naaman’s anger. Later on, Naaman was reasoned with and went back to follow the directions from the man of God and received his healing, 2 Kings 5:15, “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.’” Naaman was proof that it is impossible for one to know God until one become obedient to his Word. You may only know about God, and if so you need to ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding and fill you with knowledge of His holy name.