There is no truth or mercy
Or knowledge of God in the land...
My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

  - Hosea 4.1, 6

You have nothing more precious
than the love of God, if you perform it:
you will not regret
adoring the King of clouds.

  - Oengus mac Oengobann, Féilire Oengusso, Irish, 9th century[1]

In 1958, songwriter Phil Spector, inspired by words etched on his father’s tombstone, wrote a pop tune which was first recorded by the Teddy Bears. It was called, “To Know Him is to Love Him.”

Like those ancient Greek poets, whose common-grace insight into God Paul commended on Mars Hill (Acts 17.22-28), Phil Spector’s title reflects the essence of eternal life with God: To know Him, is to love Him (Jn. 17.3; Matt. 22.36, 37).

But knowing God and loving Him has not always been the case among those who profess faith in God.

I can imagine the people of Israel were perplexed by Hosea’s charge: “What does he mean, ‘no knowledge of God’?”

Why, they were a very religious people. They were so religious, in fact, that they outstripped their sister state, Judah, in their approach to worshiping God. Whereas the poor, benighted people of Judah only had one center for worship, Israel had set up two. It was much more convenient not to have to travel so far, and, by making worship more convenient, the religious leaders of Israel attracted more worshippers than those rigid Puritans in Judah.

Plus, in Israel anybody could aspire to the priesthood, from any of the tribes who lived there, not just those from one privileged tribe, as in Judah (how narrow-minded!).

And besides, hadn’t the Israelites made room in their worship of God for the “best practices” and cultural peculiarities of many of the “seeking” folk from the surrounding nations? Oh, so what if they referred to God as “Baal” (Hosea 2.16, 17)? Everybody knew what they meant. Show a little tolerance, would you? If we adopt a few of their liturgical forms, it will help to draw them to the true God. Lighten up.

Yes, indeed, the people of Israel in Hosea’s day were very religious. For all intents and purposes, they seemed to be fairly dripping with the knowledge of God.

So they must have been puzzled, if not shocked, by Hosea’s accusation.

Hosea’s word was precisely to this point: To know God is to love Him, and if we would love God, it must be as He makes Himself known to us, on His terms, not ours. Love for God is not merely something to profess. Love for God must be performed. And it is performed in the ways He prescribes, not that we invent.

Israel was rejected by God because they did not perform love for Him as His Word taught. God had told His people what He desired of them; they chose to follow their own ideas, however, rather than His. They still “worshiped” God, but in their own way, on their own terms, and with a view to accommodating their own convenience and the sensitivities of their pagan neighbors.

God, however, would have no part of such liturgical freestyling.

Like the people of ancient Israel, we will forfeit our covenant relationship with God if we insist that we can improve on what He has prescribed concerning how we must know, honor, and love Him.

To know God truly is to adore Him completely, and to hang on His every Word – to love Him obediently. There is nothing more precious than to love God, and to love Him as He prescribes.

No amount of good intentions, clever innovations, or culturally-sensitive adaptations will substitute for loving God by knowing Him and keeping His Word (Matt. 22.34-40; Jn. 14.15).

We will not regret knowing God in this way, and we will not truly love Him at all if we insist on doing so on our terms, rather than His.

Psalm 116.1-3, 10-14 (Mit Freuden Zart – All Praise to God Who Reigns Above)
I love the Lord because He hears my cries and pleas for mercy.
Because He bends to me His ears, my prayers shall ever thus be.
The snares of death encompassed me; hell’s grip could not unloosened be;
Distress and anguish pressed me.

Afflicted, I believed His Word, though lying lips would undo me.
What shall I render to the Lord for all His blessings to me?
Salvation’s cup I lift above, and call upon the God of love,
And pay my vows most truly.

O loving God, let love for You wash my soul, content my mind, and render all love of lesser things hateful. Adapted from Colmán mac Beógnai, Aipgitir Chrábaid

Do you love God?
How do you know? How does anyone who knows you know? How does God know? Perhaps it’s time for a little self-examination in knowing and loving God? Download our worksheet on loving God and loving your neighbors, and set aside some time to meditate on this our highest calling in life.

The Lord provides for the needs of The Fellowship of Ailbe by moving on the hearts of those who benefit from our work and believe in our mission. If that includes you, please seek the Lord in prayer concerning this opportunity. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

T. M. Moore, Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.