Knowing vs. Knowing Of

I just got back from Kenya. Four days. My first time in Africa.

I knew of Africa before I went. Documentaries. News clips. Social media posts. Mission trip testimonies. I had information. Facts. Images in my head.

But I didn't know Africa.

When I landed, people held up signs with my name at the airport. I performed at a church in the poorer part of town—no walls, just a tarp for a roof. Then I performed at a church with glass windows and a balcony in the upper-class area. I stayed in what used to be maid's quarters in the Beverly Hills part of Nairobi—broken up into Airbnbs now, but the main house was ridiculous. I visited a family in the lower-income part of the city where there are no paved roads. Just potholes and speed bumps.

So. many. speed. bumps.

I drove two hours outside the city to Hell's Gate—the gorge where Mufasa died in The Lion King. That scene was based on this real place.

I saw the country. The city. Downtown. Beverly Hills. The hood.

And here's what I noticed: liquor stores everywhere in the lower-income areas. Billboards for sugary soda and alcohol. The same stuff that destroys communities in America. But in the nicer parts? None of that.

They drive on the opposite side of the road. The infrastructure isn't as developed on the outskirts. But overall? Not that different.

Rich areas. Poor areas. Cities. Countryside. Nice churches. Hood churches. Fast food. Gas stations. People dressed sharp. People in Crocs and sweats.

My Uber driver told me about his newborn. His family. A miscarriage they went through. He leased his car through Uber to make more money. Next year, he wants a bigger truck so he can carry more people. Same dreams. Same hustle. Same struggles.

I didn't know any of that until I went and experienced it myself.

Not from reading about it. Not from watching it on TV.

I had to go.

The Hebrew Word Yada

In Hebrew, the word for "to know" is yada (יָדַע).

It's not surface-level knowledge. It's not information. It's not "I've heard of you."

Yada means intimate, experiential knowing. The kind of knowing that comes from being with someone. From spending time. From relationship.

Genesis 4:1 says, "Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived" (NKJV). That's yada. Not casual acquaintance. Deep intimacy.

And that's the word God uses in Hosea when He's confronting Israel.

What God Told Hosea to Tell Israel

Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel during a spiritually dark time. The people were going through the motions. Temple attendance. Sacrifices. Festivals. They knew of God.

But they didn't know Him.

Hosea 4:1 says:

Hosea 6:6 gets even more direct:

God wasn't impressed with their religious activity. He wanted relationship.

They knew His name. His laws. His history. His requirements.

But they didn't know Him.

The Parallel

Before I went to Kenya, I knew of Africa.

I had facts. Images. Stories from other people.

But I didn't know Africa until I walked those streets. Ate that food. Talked to that Uber driver. Saw the speed bumps (ALL the speed bumps) and the billboards and the hustle.

Israel knew of God.

They had the Torah. The temple. The priesthood. The rituals.

But God said, "You don't know Me."

And here's the uncomfortable truth: a lot of us are in the same place.

We consume content about God. Sermons. Books. Podcasts. Instagram posts. Bible studies.

We know facts. Theology. Christian culture. Worship lyrics.

But do we know Him?

Do we recognize His voice? Do we spend time in His presence? Do we know His heart?

Or do we just know what other people say about Him?

Information vs. Intimacy

There's a big difference between studying someone and spending time with them.

I could read every article about Kenya. Watch every documentary. Memorize the capital, the population, the GDP.

But none of that would compare to four days on the ground.

The same is true with God.

You can know every verse. Attend every service. Post every worship lyric.

But if you're not spending time with Him—if you're not listening, praying, sitting in His presence—you don't know Him.

You know of Him.

The Difference Real Relationship Makes

When I talk to people about Christ, especially non-believers, I don't lead with Bible verses. I talk from experience. Real-life experience based on my relationship with God. What He's brought me through. The order He's put in my life. The way He's shown up when everything else fell apart.

Because the Bible is the instruction manual. But His Word is just a reflection of real life. It's the pattern. The principle. The proof.

And when you know Him—not just know of Him—you can speak from that place. Not theory. Not secondhand stories. Not religious language.

Experience.

Hosea's message to Israel is the same message we need to hear today:

God doesn't want your performance. He wants your presence.

He doesn't want your religious activity. He wants your heart.

He doesn't want you to know about Him. He wants you to know Him.

The Invitation

Yada is an invitation.

It's God saying, "Come close. Not to learn facts. Not to check a box. But to be with Me."

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says:

Knowing God is the goal.

Not information. Not theology. Not even ministry.

Knowing Him.

Questions Worth Wrestling With

What would change if you pursued knowing God the way you'd pursue experiencing a new place—by showing up, being present, and spending time?

Are you content knowing of Him, or are you hungry to know Him? If someone asked, "Do you know God?"—would your answer be based on what you've learned about Him, or what you've experienced with Him?

What's one way you can move from information to intimacy this week?

That’s it for today

keep JOY, live Disciplined