"He judged the cause of the poor and needy—then it was well. Does this not mean that he knew Me? declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 22:16*).
When I was a teenager, I was often asked, "How is your relationship with God?" I wasn't sure how to respond because I didn't hear God's voice the way others in church seemed to. Could I honestly say that I knew God?
I prayed for the Lord to speak to my heart. The more I prayed and studied Scripture, the more God worked in my heart. He didn't speak to me as often as I wished, but He never left me without an answer.
In Jeremiah 22:16, the prophet tells us what it means to know God: to do what is right and just and to defend the poor and needy. Christ rebukes the Pharisees by saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but neglect the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others" (Matthew 23:23*). Live and work for truth, justice, and kindness, but do not forget prayer and studying God's word. Then you can undoubtedly say, "I know God."
Link to the original article: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2024-07-06
* Bible quotations are from the Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013