Will I Know Him?
Sound familiar?
I've done that...a lot of times.
Many times I can name the movie or possibly a TV show that I've seen a particular actor or actress in. If it's an actor that I particularly admire I will read up on them and yes even glance at a People magazine while I'm waiting in the line-up at SuperStore. And ok, I'll admit it, while the dye is setting in my hair at the hairdresser I will pick up a People or OK magazine to see what the Royal family is up too or check up on what my favorite celebrities and sometimes not so favorite celebrities are doing.
Yet, how many times do we do that for God?
You know what I mean? Actively try to discover everything we can about Him?
How about spending so much time with Him so that we would recognize His Presence and His work? Do we look for Him half-hearted or do we search after Him with excitement and awe? When we sense His Presence in a situation do we snap our fingers and say, "Hey, that's God there!" I remember Him when He was with me here and there!
Last night around 2:30a.m. when I couldn't sleep I spent time praying. Praying for family and friends and it was then that God interrupted my prayer time. I can't explain how He does it, but it's so clear when He does. I enjoy those moments, those times when I know He is waiting for me to become completely still and simply listen. I felt no condemnation for the requests I had made, though I knew my list was long and detailed, boy, there is so much people are going through, but I also knew it was OK that I was asking God for those things like protection and healing, yet I recognized that He wanted me to stop and listen. After a short while there was one question that suddenly became clear, 'Who will recognize Me?'
What? Who wouldn't recognize you Lord?
'Who will recognize Me?'
I recognize you Lord. I've seen You at work personally in our lives over and over again. I know I don't thank You enough and that I don't acknowledge Your power and faithfulness enough. But recognize You? Absolutely!
'Who will recognize Me?'
Hmmm...OK God, You might have to explain Yourself a bit more, but that was it. So, I figured He needed me to process this a bit more.
I reasoned that it's fairly easy for us to see God when we have gone through difficult situations, they say hindsight is 20/20, but what about the things right in front of you, the everyday things? Do we recognize God in the everyday things?
In the morning I was getting ready for work and I was still thinking about my prayer time during the night and what it all meant, but I didn't get very far.
Then on the way to work I was listening to CHVN and Brandon Heath was singing a song from his new album, that, by the way, wasn't even out yet, and the song was called, Jesus in Disguise. And one line stuck out for me, You are looking for a king you will never recognize, Jesus in disguise. So open my eyes wide...I couldn't remember the rest...but, it was enough.
Huh, I smiled up at God. Is that You? No one will recognize the King? So, open my eyes...wide!
I arrived at work humming and after settling my stuff in my office I made my way into the conference room to join the rest of the staff for our regular prayer time.
Pastor Phillip opened the prayer time and with my head bowed and my eyes closed I began smiling again as I listened to the words he spoke to God. He was thanking God for all the good things in the world that He was already doing and had already done, the good things, the everyday things, that we don't always acknowledge, but He is in everything...there it was again...God was being recognized!
So, what did I get out of this? I"m not exactly sure, but, I believe that God was simply asking me to open my eyes...wide...to know that it is important to recognize Him as the King that He is and that it's just as important to listen when others recognize Him too. Not just in the big stuff, but in the everyday.
And to recognize that He still speaks. And when He does it's truly a miracle when you recognize the King!
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. John 14:1-9
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