To say that we ‘know’ somebody covers a variety of relationships.  The person might be someone we occasionally meet, or a colleague, friend or family member.  Even within families there are different levels or intensity of relationship.  The closest should be between spouses, and between parents and children.  But Jesus prayed to His Father in an astonishingly intimate way (John 17:1-5).  The unique bond between them was of undiluted love and mutual understanding.

That closeness was in stark contrast to the religious claims of people in Israel.  Although they studied the Scriptures, they had no relationship with God because they refused to come to Jesus (John 5:39-40).  But the disciples were willing to respond to Jesus’ call to leave everything and follow Him (Mark 10:28).  Jesus shared His life with them, they heard His teaching and witnessed His miracles … but they still found it hard to believe (John 14:9-11).  However, having come to Jesus, He would not let them go and after He was raised from the dead, everything they had heard and seen about Jesus made sense and they believed the Scriptures (John 2:22).

The only way for the world to know God properly is to get to know the Jesus who is revealed in the Scriptures, Old Testament and New Testament (2 Timothy 3:14-15), as the Son of God who lived in a human body.  The more any open-minded person looks at the life of Jesus, it becomes obvious that He is God.  Initially the disciples understood that Jesus had come from God. However, Jesus promised His Father to continue to make the world aware that divine love is best expressed in the cross of Christ.  As people believe in Jesus so they will see how much the Father loves them: then the Father and Son will make their home with them (John 14:23).  That is how closely we can know God.
 
It is not enough to simply know that God exists or to know the facts about Jesus’ life. God who already knows you intimately (Psalm 139:13-16 ) wants you to know how much He loves you. So do not be satisfied by dutiful religion: let Jesus get close to you. Even your friends and colleagues, who presently know little about Christ, will know more when you tell them ... and let Jesus speak through you (perhaps show them www.crosscheck.org.uk ). In that way you will be a part of the answer to Jesus’ prayer, and a real blessing to those around you.