We treat those that we are closest to differently to people that we’ve just met. I know it sounds obvious (and it is) but it’s true. Even when they are in the same room or same situation, we instinctively know how to react to the different people around us, according to the relationship we have with them.

Take a date, for example. When you walk into the restaurant, you’re greeted by a waiter. As you walk to the table, whose hand do you hold? Theirs or your dates? Unless you’re trying to begin the night with an awkward argument, you hold your dates hand. You ask the waiter to bring the food – you tell your date how good they look. Never the other way round. Never. Ever.

This “don’t hold the waiter’s hand” rule applies in all our relationships, including our relationship with God. The degree to which we know him will determine our behaviour towards him.

Jeremiah 3:29 says” Thus says the LORD: “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…”

We’re offered the chance to know and understand God. He’s given us his Word – so we can discover him more. He’s placed his Spirit within us – to make us more like him. He gave his Son for us – so that we could approach him.

How we react towards God is a testament of how well we know him. When troubles come, when things don’t go your way – how do you react? When you’re experiencing good times, what do you do? When you sin, what’s your first reaction? These responses demonstrate the truth of our relationship with God.

We constantly need to renew our minds (Romans 12:1) and often that means changing our thoughts about God. We need to rediscover, refresh and re-know him, again and again so that we can love him, know him and understand him as he really is.