To Know Him

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” – ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If there’s one Scripture that has always scared me, it’s this one—or at least it did until I understood what Jesus was really saying.

I grew up in a very religious environment. Even though my dad faithfully taught grace, mercy, and the new covenant, there was still an ever present fear of man that gripped my heart. Maybe it was the preacher’s kid thing, maybe not, but it followed me into ministry and into life. Honestly, I still wrestle with it today.

This verse can be terrifying for a religious person because Jesus seems to dismantle the very things we often use as proof of spirituality. In my background, if you cast out demons, prophesied, and performed wonders in His name, then surely you must be close to God. After all, you’re doing what Jesus did, so the two of you must be tight!

But Jesus doesn’t just question that assumption. He completely overturns it. He calls them “workers of lawlessness.” That’s not just sobering, it’s shocking. If works, wonders, and prophecy aren’t the goal, then what is?
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you.’”

That’s the heart of it. Jesus says the issue, the goal, and His desire in one line: He wants to know us.

At first, it feels like a strange statement. How can the all-knowing, omniscient God say, “I never knew you”? But this is where we miss the invitation. God isn’t talking about head knowledge. He’s talking about intimacy. Relationship.

Too many of us live in what I call an “Instagram relationship” with God. We show Him our best moments, curate what we want Him to see, and hide the messy, broken parts of our hearts. We give Him polished prayers instead of raw ones, and instead of listening for His voice, we respond with what we think He would say.

The truth is, many of us have let God into our minds but have kept Him at arm’s length from our hearts. I know I have. It feels safer to let Him see the lofty thoughts than the confusion, doubts, and struggles inside of me.

But here’s the good news: Jesus isn’t calling us to prove our worth through works. He’s calling us into relationship. This isn’t about salvation. That was settled at the cross. This is about intimacy with the God who not only wants us to know Him but also wants to know us.

As a friend of mine often says, “It’s time to let down the window of our hearts.” To let Him in. Because the moment we realize that His desire is to know us, that’s when we truly begin to know Him.

Jesus isn’t impressed by our works; He desires our hearts. To know Him fully, we must also let Him know us, completely and honestly.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You want more than my works. You want me. Help me to lay down the fear of man and the pressure to prove myself. Teach me to open my heart fully to You, not just my polished prayers but also my broken places. May I walk in the freedom of truly knowing You and being fully known by You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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