“To know, know, know him, is to love, love, love him…” Remember that old song? It’s a 1958 single by the Teddy Bears. It wasn’t written about God, but I like to use it about God.

We humans are very tied to our natural world, what we can see, touch, smell and hear. We very much depend on the concrete things in life. Invisible things are too intangible for most humans. The debate about the existence of God has been going on since the beginning of time, and it continues to this day. Many cannot fathom an invisible God they cannot see, touch, smell and hear, a God outside of their natural senses.

So just how do we go about knowing and loving an invisible God? Well, He did leave us a Book about Himself. That Book is the Bible. If you say you don’t believe or trust the Bible, I’m not sure what’s left, except that you could still have a personal encounter with Him. The Bible is the history of God. I challenge anyone who says they don’t believe the Bible to actually read the whole thing through, read all the prophecies that came to pass hundreds of years after they were uttered, and then say the Bible can’t be true. The Bible actually confirms itself, by recording prophecies uttered by men of faith that were eventually seen coming to pass in the natural world. These fulfilled prophecies were also recorded.

I, and many other believers, can tell you plenty of stories about our own encounters with God, such as the time I prayed for green peppers, a fan, and a depiction of a panda eating bamboo to create a sweatshirt for my niece. Those were three quickly answered prayers that my Father did for me. The panda story is especially poignant and made me cry, because the whole incident was proof of an invisible God who cares about every little thing about us. I cried because it was proof of His love for my little niece and His care about what she desired.

For Christmas one year, my 9 or 10 year old niece requested a sweatshirt with a panda eating bamboo on it. She was very specific, which I knew would make my task more difficult. The morning I left home to travel one hour to shop, I asked God to help make my quest profitable, as my time was limited. I assumed I would visit fabric shops and (keeping my fingers crossed), maybe, possibly encounter some fabric with pandas on it, even though I could not recall ever seeing one before. I went to the first shop, which happened to be a place where I had taught classes; I knew the people there. I asked about fabric with pandas on it. No one thought there was any in the shop. However, a worker pointed out a sample quilt hanging in the shop that had embroidered animals on it. Guess what? There was a panda eating bamboo on it! I inquired about who had made the quilt. Turns out, a friend of mine had made it. Easy peasy. I contacted her, asked if she would make me an embroidered patch of the panda eating bamboo and I would pay her. She agreed and promptly made it. I only had to order the sweatshirt, get the patch and sew it to the front of Katelyn’s shirt in time for Christmas. That is how God works.

Another story: At the end of “fan” season, one summer, the little fan in my room went ka-put. Bad time to have a fan go out. I use a fan year round in my room at night to block outdoor noises. I asked God for a fan, knowing it might be tough finding one because summer was over. We visited a different Walmart than we usually do one day,  and I began to search for a fan. I happened to look down an aisle that looked like it might not be the one, but I turned and went that way anyway. There were two fans, just two, and I got one. Without stressing. That’s the beauty of it. Just tell Him what you need and go on living…He can get it to you. God is for us!

I have lots of personal stories like that in my almost 35 years of walking with God. He is REAL! He is personal. YOU can know Him! He loves to prove Himself to you.

“To know, know, know Him is to love, love, love Him…and I do.”

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, I want to know You like that. I want to experience You in my life. I want to see You prove Yourself. I accept Your sacrifice of Jesus as payment for my sins and I now wish to walk in Your light. I want to have fellowship with You and get to know You better.