If the following question was posed to 10 random people in downtown Jersey Shore, it would be interesting to hear the varied responses: “What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else?” My guess is that most responses would revolve around money, success, popularity, and other worldly ambitions. Two other more pointed questions that also might be asked: “What were you made for?” and “What should you aim for in life?” As Christians the answer to all three questions should simply be, “To know God”. Knowing God (a personal relationship imbedded deep within our heart) and knowing about God (intellectual head knowledge only) are distinctively different.


How can we truly know God? In John 10 Jesus uses two analogies to explain how, through Him, we can know God. First, He speaks of himself as the door. In v.9 He says, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Jesus is the door to the Father; the door to knowing God is to know Jesus. The second analogy Jesus uses is that He is the good shepherd. In vv. 14-15 Jesus describes the love and care He has for his sheep and his willingness to lay down his life for them. His sheep know him, and, through Him, they know the Father.
As his sheep, we have a relationship with Jesus where we find meaning, purpose, peace, and life in all its fullness. As vulnerable sheep, however, we need to resist Satan’s attempts to rob us of this fulfilled life. In John 10:10 Jesus contrasts himself with ‘the thief’ who comes ‘to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.’ We dare not let Satan rob us of our peace and enjoyment of life for which Jesus paid the price.


We need to remember that God knew us (while in our mother’s womb - Ps 139:13) before we knew Him. If you ever doubt that God loves you, you simply have to look at the cross: Jesus laid down his life for you and me. He came to give his life on the cross and to remove all the blocks that prevent you and me from knowing and being in communion with God. As God’s most important creation, our greatest desire in life should be to know Him intimately.