It is one thing to know we worship God. To know we pray to God. It is quite another to know the God we worship. The God before whom we come and pray.

If my friend Joe enters the room, he is present in the room. We can say his presence is there. But that is still not the same thing as knowing Joe. As having a personal relationship with him. 

As Christians, far too many times we are content with God being present in the room. And His presence — His present-nearness — is wonderful and impactful. We cannot help but feel when He is in the room. He is the ever-present, ever-living, all-knowing, all-powerful holy God. As human beings in His presence we are certainly going to react emotionally.

But that’s not the point. That’s not our ultimate pursuit.

God is more than a presence in the room. He is a personal God who longs to know us and to be known by us in close, intimate relationship. So the goal in our “worship services” is not to feel God’s presence but to know God Himself.

Knowing God is the heart of worship. Our worship may begin with some vague or growing awareness that God is present but God seeks to bring us beyond that. Encountering Him and seeing His beauty with the eyes of our heart and tasting His goodness on the palette of our heart is what God is really after.

To know He is near is good. But to know Him and to be known by Him personally is where true transformation and joy of heart occur.