Radical Relationship with God: Demolition Day (Day 7)
I have learned that when God reveals new insight and it begins to push a bit on certain areas that I am uncomfortable with, I push back.
“Belief in Jesus does not come by the waving of a magic wand.
It comes by hearing the word of God through Jesus.”
- John Piper
Today we are going to do a little demolition. Let’s start with some basic understandings.
First in looking back at what we read yesterday in John 10:1-20, Jesus says from the beginning that he tells us the truth. What he is speaking, what we are reading when we read scripture is true…without a doubt true.
And that unwavering truth is that there is One who knows us, who gathers us, and who guides us. His purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life. Not only that, but truth is that our shepherd is willing to give His life for us…and He did.
The other truth he tells us in this passage is that there is a thief. The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy.
Looking back at John 10, truth is in verse 14…He knows us.
Truth also is in verses 3-5…He speaks and his sheep have the ability to not just hear him, but know his voice so well that they will run from a stranger's voice. They can recognize the difference.
So how does God speak to us? And how can we know His voice so well that we not only obey it, but we can distinguish it from the other voices that we hear calling us?
And if we have truth…His written word…why do we need to worry about hearing anything else?
What I want you to know today is that I do not have all of the answers to these questions.
But just because we don’t have the answers does not mean that we shouldn’t press in and seek guidance.
Let me tell you where I am at.
I have for the past 10 years been desiring to know more about the ways God says He works through the Holy Spirit. It is not something I have ever spent much time learning about, and God has been showing me that there is so much He offers me here on this earth that I don’t engage with Him in.
I am a babe in this subject.
Lately I have felt an urgency of becoming familiar with what God teaches about the Spirit through His Word as well as through the testimony of other believers.
I want to also let you know that I have a LOT of automatic walls in this area. There are certain things I hear and read that my mind and spirit has been trained to reject. I reject it so quickly that I pop a wall up, not allowing God to even whisper into that area of my walk with Him.
But I want that to change.
So over the past six months, I have been spending more time trying to stay aware when I read the Word of times that God speaks into that. I have also had the opportunity to visit with people who are in the midst of allowing God to move through His Spirit in their own lives in ways that I don’t really understand.
And what I have learned is that I have very strong opinions that are not necessarily based on scripture. I have learned that if it begins to push a bit on certain areas that I am uncomfortable with, I push back.
But I don’t want that. I want to know God in as full a way as He will allow me while i am on this earth. I want to know more and more of Him. I don’t want to ever again think I know or understand it all.
Because I don’t…we don’t…and we never will.
But if we will slow down and listen…hover, if you will….He will reveal more.
One of Jesus’ last prayers was for you and me.
In John 17: 20 He says…”I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
He prays that we may know the Father just as he knows the Father.
That is incredible! I mean seriously…think about it…we can know God in the way that Jesus knew God. And not only that, but this is how the world will not just know who Jesus is…but BELIEVE.
There are people dying across the ocean that have never heard the name of Jesus.
There are people dying across the street that don’t know Him.
But God invites us to have a relationship with Him…with God…in a way the world will believe. I just can’t even find the words to say how incredible this is.
How can I NOT pursue this with Him?
And scripture tells us that part of this amazing relationship comes in hearing and knowing His voice.
Prayer:
Wow! God, you continue to amaze me. And please let that always be my heart toward you...one of amazement. Let me be one in you the way that Christ is.
Help me to hear you and to know you in a way that those around me can know you too.
Help me to hear you and know you in a way that always leads to a desire for more.
Amen – So be it.
How can we truly love the one we do not know?
My prayer mimics that of Paul in Ephesians 1… I pray that through these writings we all might gain spiritual wisdom and insight so that we can know Him more…love Him more…and serve Him more
