Sunday, June 29, 2008

Will You Dare Five Minutes to Know God and Yourself Better?

The last two weeks have be a whirlwind of new information and emotion. I find the need to simplify to process it all or I fear I’ll run from God overwhelmed.

My housemate and I were speaking yesterday on perceptions of God. We discussed how different people view God and how that shapes their understanding of life. Can all these perceptions be at least partially true? Might there at least be a few different slants to consider?

I’m certain you have people in your life that you love so dearly but who just see God differently than you. It’s not that you want to change them, b/c they wouldn’t be so precious to you if you didn’t already love them for who they are. But for those of you who truly believe the truth of Christ, you long for them to see God as you do. You want them to know this friend, this Lord of your life with whom you are so in love and whose love you feel with such realism.

Jessica expressed, “If only those people would spend five minutes a day for a month asking God to reveal himself as he chooses, he’d rock their world. God always answers those prayers.”

That would indeed be a powerful thing. If you are reading this and you do not know Jesus in a personal way and are even the slightest bit curious, it would be an interesting exercise. Even if through our friendship, it’s just in trying to understand me better, what an experience it could be to invite God in, five minutes a day for a month, and see how he might reveal himself. Open your hearts and let him show you whatever he chooses.

Then it occurred to me though. Am I so wise that I fully understand all there is about God? I too must be willing to undergo the same exercise. What might God reveal to me about himself over the next month?

Those of you believers have come to understand him through scripture, which is the right way to learn about him. But are you allowing the Holy Spirit to have its way with you and show you amazing and unsearchable things? Maybe the unbelieving world still has a bit to teach us on how big God can be if we’re willing to open our minds. I know we do this subtly, but have we ceased to be intentional in asking him to show us the truth of himself? Are you still asking God each day to reveal who he is so we might understand to the best of our ability?

Already this exercise in my life has revealed some truth. I began this blog confessing that I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed due to several circumstances of current life. I feel so overwhelmed that routine devotionals or bible study just cause my head to swim. And yet, in asking God this simple question, he began to reveal himself. He reminded me that he’s given me many gifts and I do have choices. A friend was right in telling me something similar this week. Yes, I must remember God as sovereign and Lord, but sometimes he wants us to use what he’s already given us to move forward at our choosing. We agonize over if we’re doing the “right thing” and “within his will” but he may just be whispering “child, stop stressing and just do SOMETHING”. He also reminded me that he is my Abba, my father, who has a great plan for me in all areas of my life and I don’t need to be worried or sad. All things work out as they’re supposed to and if that’s true… there’s no need for such things.

This blog contains no scripture (unlike my others), just thoughts. But that’s kind of the point. Scripture is VERY important but also is simply prayer. The creator of the universe wants to talk to you!

Will you, believer or non-believer alike, try a month of five minutes and see what God may do? I dare you!

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