Getting to Know Our Father

Getting to know our Father—knowing God—is not just a kind of knowledge that comes from books. I use the Bible and other books, yes, but this kind of knowing comes from experience.

We experience Him in life.

We have what we call good and bad experiences—but even that might be worth rethinking. There’s the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but there’s also the tree of life. That may be something to come back to another time.

What I want to talk about here is this: realizing that God is in you.

What does that mean? How does that affect your life?

Because, as a general rule, a lot of our lives as Christians don’t look much different than anyone else’s. But even that way of thinking—labeling people—is something I’m learning to move away from.

Our lives should be distinct, yes—but not by effort. The difference comes as we begin to realize who we are and who our Father is. That’s really the purpose of living: to know Him.

To know who our Father is.

He is in us. Not only in us—He is with us, and He is for us. So we learn to become aware of His presence. Aware of His love. He loves you. He gives you life. He created you as you are because He wanted relationship with you.

Click picture for link to physical copy of book.

And that’s true of every person on the planet—whether they realize it or not. God created us so that we might know Him.

In John 14, Jesus says:

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

He’s dealing with what you might call an orphan mindset—that feeling of being outside, looking in. Like standing outside a house, peeking through the window, watching others belong.

Jesus says, “I will not leave you like that.” In other words, He’s not leaving you with the idea that you are excluded.

You are included.

And what removes that orphan way of thinking? His presence. God with us. God in us. That’s the reality we’re waking up to. He’s not just near you—He’s in you. Closer than you think. Seeing through your eyes, present in your life in a way that’s hard to even put into words.

Say to Him: “Help me see what You see.”

Jesus goes on to say, “Because I live, you also will live.” He came that we might have life—life to the full, overflowing.

Then in verse 20, He says something powerful:

“In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

Think about that.

You are not separate. You are not alone.

So when it comes to getting to know God, take these truths and sit with them.

Do you ever feel alone?

Do you ever feel lost?

Do you ever feel like you don’t belong?

That’s what He came to heal. One practical way to grow in this awareness is learning to be still—to meditate, to reflect, to ponder.

Now, meditation doesn’t mean emptying your mind completely. That’s nearly impossible. It can be as simple as sitting quietly and noticing your thoughts. Think of it like sitting at the bottom of a river, watching boats pass overhead. Those boats are your thoughts. You’re not the boats—you’re the one observing them.

In the same way, you’re not your thoughts, your feelings, or even your circumstances. Those are things you experience, but they’re not your true identity.

At your core, you are of God.

That doesn’t make you God—but it means you are made in His image and likeness. His life is in you. Christ is in you. The Holy Spirit is in you.

So take a simple truth—like “I am not an orphan”—and sit with it. Turn it over in your mind. Let it speak to you.

Ask the Father, “What are You saying to me today?”

And then listen.

It may feel unfamiliar at first, but it’s worth it. It’s about desire—about making space to hear Him. Scripture says we don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

That’s not just about written words—it’s about what He is speaking to you.

There have been moments where God spoke something to my heart, and I’ve drawn strength from it for years.

That’s life.

So take time. Sit down. Get quiet.

And just be with Him.

Let Him speak.