In a survey of pastors recently they were asked to give the most influential books in their lives. This book was at the top of the list.  In my own life this book had a tremendous impact on my spiritual growth.

When I was a young man in college Packers book introduced me to a whole new way of thinking about God and the Scriptures.  In my church experience I had not been exposed to biblical preaching; I had not sat under truly expository preaching.  I had not been taught sound theology.  “Knowing God” was like the first drops of refreshing spiritual rain on my thirsty soul.  In Packers book, for the first time, I was introduced to the majesty of God.  He unveiled the glory of the Trinity. In chapter after chapter he set before my eyes the marvelous attributes of God with astonishing clarity

But perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the emphasis that the author places on truly “knowing God.”  Packer begins his book by helping us to understand the difference between knowing about God and knowing God.   He reminds us that we must beware of the danger of learning about God without truly knowing God, or grow in our knowledge about God, we need to truly know God. That is, we need to know him personally. We need to let our knowledge about God become knowledge of God. He says that we learn something about God we need to go directly to God in worship, worshiping him for what we’ve learned about him. That is what makes all the difference. That is what it means to truly know the Lord.