May 5

So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth. — Hos 6:3 BSB

These words show us that there is such a thing as "following on to know the Lord" in our spiritual experience. In fact, we cannot receive the blessings laid up for the righteous unless we persevere in this pursuit. To "know the Lord" is the desire of every soul that has been made alive by His Spirit—to know Him through His personal revelations of grace, love, presence, and glory.

However, the phrase "follow on" implies that there are many difficulties, obstacles, and hindrances along the way that hold us back from truly knowing the Lord. The work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts is to carry us forward despite these challenges. The natural man and the power of Satan both work to pull us back, but the Spirit’s work pushes us onward. He keeps alive in us the fear of God, strengthens our inner being, gives us moments of hope and grace, and equips us to persevere. In this way, even though our flesh, reason, and nature may oppose us, the Spirit compels us to continue.

Sometimes we feel driven, sometimes drawn, sometimes led, and sometimes carried—but in one way or another, the Spirit of God works within us so that, even if we can’t explain how, we continue to follow on. Our very burdens cause us to groan for deliverance. Our temptations drive us to cry out for help. The difficulty and ruggedness of the road make us depend on Him every step of the way. The complexity of the path compels us to ask for a guide. The Lord, by His Spirit, works through every difficulty, trial, and discouragement, bringing us through and setting us before God in glory.

It’s amazing how our souls are kept alive. A believer is often a wonder to himself. We are carried along so secretly, worked on so mysteriously, yet we are led, guided, and supported through so many difficulties and trials that we become a miracle of mercy. As the Apostle says, we are "a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men"—the world wonders, the angels admire, and men stand astonished at how God keeps us following on, despite all obstacles.

But what are we following on for? "To know the Lord." This is the heart and essence of true religion—the very core of genuine godliness. It means knowing Jesus by faith, entering into His beauty and loveliness, and becoming one with Him, just as the Scripture says, "He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit."