To know someone, it takes sacrifice.  Yet when it comes to knowing God, we don’t want to make any sacrifice.  We sing, “I want to know you, know you deeper, a real relationship, love you, etc.”  But we live our lives saying, “Well…not that much…”

God said, “To know me…”

“Sacrifice your children” to Abraham
“Sacrifice your guaranteed position of CEO of Egypt, Inc.” to Moses
“Sacrifice through physical and emotional pain” to Daniel
“Sacrifice your military intelligence” to Joshua
“Sacrifice your Miss Universe  title and crown” to Esther
“Sacrifice your corporate monopoly on Wall Street” to Matthew
“Sacrifice your mental health and White House” to Nebuchadnezzar
“Sacrifice your dear spouse” to Ezekiel
“Sacrifice your singleness by marrying a prostitute” to Hosea
“Sacrifice your multiple graduate Ph.D.’s in law, ethics, theology, philosophy, languages, and history” to Paul
“Sacrifice the luxuries of the court” to Nehemiah
“Sacrifice your nationality: Moabite, American, British, Chinese, Korean, Hispanic” to Ruth
“Sacrifice your privacy and independence” to Jeremiah
“Sacrifice you being young and freedom” to Joseph
“Sacrifice your parents and their expectations” to Elisha
“Sacrifice your reputation of purity and goodness” to Mary
“Sacrifice your life” to Peter

Just watch any melodramatic romance story.  The crazier the protagonist sacrifices, no matter how radical or unjust, it’s for the sake of getting to know the love interest.  Sacrifice shows intensity.

Just watch any sports fan.  They sacrifice time, hundreds of dollars for box seats or season tickets, and days off work.  Their clothing changes, they paint their faces, read sports magazines, ESPN, and are constantly checking scores.  Sacrifice shows the level of commitment.

Just watch any music concert.  Moshers are willing to get trampled, endure sonic pain, crowds, smoke, dirty bathrooms, and crazy people just to hear music.  Sacrifice shows fidelity. 

The formula is if you put 100% in, you are actually saying you think of it as worth your 100% and your return is 100% [perhaps even more (Mk 10:30; Dan 4:36; Job 42:12).]  If you put in 10%, you are declaring its value to you as 10% and you will get only 10% [perhaps even less.]

To know someone, it takes sacrifice.  To know God, it takes 100% sacrifice.

In order to know you, Jesus became the sacrifice.  How can anything be too big?  Too hard?  Too much?

Anything less than 100%?