Section I, Chapter 1
1. Read & Receive
Anchor Scriptures
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“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” — Jeremiah 9:23–24
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“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” — John 17:3
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“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” — Philippians 3:7–8
Summary The highest calling of a human soul is not to achieve, acquire, or ascend, but to know God. Not merely to know about Him—as though He were an object for research—but to know Him personally, through Jesus Christ, in the communion of the Spirit. This knowledge is not a luxury for the devout few, but the essence of life itself.
Reflection Questions
- What pursuits do I treat as more urgent than knowing God?
- Do I see knowledge of Him as delight or as duty?
2. Reflect & Express
Knowledge About vs. Knowledge Of
All of us are collectors of knowledge. We gather facts like seashells, stacking them in our minds, hoping they will add up to something solid. We may know the height of mountains, the laws of physics, or the genealogies of kings. But knowing about something is not the same as knowing someone.
A child may learn that honey is sweet by reading a definition. But only tasting honey brings the knowledge that satisfies. So it is with God. To know about Him may fill the head, but to know Him fills the heart, stirs the affections, and steadies the soul.
J. I. Packer put it sharply: “Theology is for doxology and devotion.” If our studies end in arguments or abstractions, we have missed the point. Theology is meant to lead to worship and to deeper walking with God.
John Owen distinguished between natural knowledge and saving knowledge. Natural knowledge is what all people can gain—by reason, tradition, or observation. It may rise to true statements, even noble thoughts. But only saving knowledge comes by the Spirit’s illumination, through the Word, in Christ. This knowledge is not merely learned but given, not merely studied but received.
Jonathan Edwards pressed further: true knowledge is “a sense of the heart.” One may define God as love, but until the Spirit opens the soul to taste the sweetness of His love in Christ, that definition is but a shell. Edwards often compared it to tasting honey: reading about sweetness is not the same as savoring it.
The Pilgrim’s Call
The call to know God is not optional. It is not one choice among many hobbies for the religiously inclined. It is the reason for our existence. To be human is to be made in His image, and to be made in His image is to be made for fellowship with Him. Our restless searching, our endless striving, are but symptoms of this deeper hunger. Augustine’s old confession rings true: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
Picture the pilgrim on the road. Many paths beckon: the road of wisdom, the road of power, the road of wealth. Each promises light, yet ends in shadow. Jeremiah warns us not to boast in these lesser pursuits. Only the road of knowing God leads home. To step onto this way is to walk with a compass true north, to carry a lantern that never burns out.
Paul himself was a man of great wisdom, power, and heritage. Yet he counted it all as loss, even as refuse, compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. He does not say that other knowledge is worthless in every sense—but that all pales beside the glory of this one thing: “that I may know him” (Phil. 3:10).
Shadows and Light
Other knowledge has its place. To understand the world God made is a good gift. To learn skills, to cultivate wisdom, to pursue justice—these are noble. But compared to knowing God, they are shadows. A shadow can point to reality, but it is not the reality itself. A map can guide the way, but it is not the mountain path.
To know God is light. It illumines every shadow, orders every pursuit, redeems every good gift. A mind Godward is like a window opened to the rising sun: everything else takes its proper shape under His brightness.
A Pilgrim Meditation
O Pilgrim soul, do not mistake the tools for the treasure. Do not wander the road clutching maps but refusing to walk. Do not light candles when the sun has risen. Lift your eyes. The Lord Himself walks with you, if you will know Him.
Prayer Fragment “O Lord, be my compass when I wander, my lantern when night falls, my treasure when I am tempted by lesser things. Teach me to count all else as loss, that I may gain the surpassing worth of knowing You.”
3. Respond & Remember
Practical Responses
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Begin with Scripture Start each day with a verse that turns your mind Godward. Let His Word be the first voice you hear, even if only a few lines to set your compass true.
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Name the Distractions Write down the pursuits that compete with God in your heart—career, possessions, even noble projects. Lay them before Him in prayer, asking Him to reorder your loves.
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Take One Step of Study Choose one deliberate step this week: read slowly through a Gospel, or pray through a Psalm, asking with each passage: What does this show me of God Himself? Not just what command He gives, but what character He reveals.
A Pilgrim Practice
Carry a small card in your pocket, or a phrase on your lips, as a pilgrim’s token. Each time you touch it or recall it, let it draw your heart Godward.
Remembrance Phrase “To know God is life.”
Every hard journey is eased by good companions, and your steps alongside mine are a gift to me.
Should you wish, you may contribute some coin to the Pilgrim’s Purse.
