Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Knowing God - John 1:48

(from Pastor)
"I saw you under the fig tree"
John 1:48
 
At the moment Jesus met Nathanael, Jesus immediately revealed a few key things about Nathanael's life.
 
Nathanael's jaw dropped. "How do you know me?"
 
"I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you," said Jesus.
 
Spiritual sight! Jesus saw Nathanael. Our Lord sees all things. Jesus gave Nathanael a glimpse of this power. Nathanael began to see Jesus as the Son of God. But Jesus said, "you will see greater things than these."
 
God sees us -- indeed, watches over us -- but even more so, he invites us to see him. Through Scripture ... and prayer ... and experiences ... and church ... and through Jesus himself ... we catch glimpses of God's love.
 
I heard someone complain recently about not believing in God because they see too many Christians who are hypocrites and too many churches that are imperfect. Then I heard someone respond, don't look at people and institutions, look at Jesus.
 
When you look down, you'll inevitably be disappointed. But when you look up, you will see "greater things" -- greater love, greater peace, greater hope, greater joy, greater forgiveness, greater life.
 
In Christ's Love,
a guy who wants to go
from good to great

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I saw you ... My kids have trouble with that.  They don't see too well. They are legally blind, although you wouldn't know it by watching them run and play.  Until they walk into a glass door they didn't know was there, or miss the step they didn't see.  But God sees all. He sees through the doors, through the walls, through our hearts.
 
I was asked recently where I saw God the previous week. I haven't been very in tuned to God lately to say the least.  I have felt as if he is off in the distance watching.  It took a bit for me to determine where I saw God.  Honestly, the answer I gave was what I thought the person wanted to hear - not what I truly believed.  But as we talked some more, I started realizing, believing, that God truly was in those moments. I said that I saw God in my 5 year old daughter - learning to hand wash a car with the youth, seeing a newly hatched bird for the first time, picking strawberries, snuggling in bed and just talking about our day together.  Talking to her about where Jesus lives. "In heaven. and everywhere." Listening to her tell me about how Jesus died on the cross and rose again.  

There was God in those moments.  This person then challenged me to ask the kids daily where they saw God in their day. To help them develop the eyes that see God in the everyday. the mundane. life. We need to remove the 'world colored glasses' and really see God in our lives.  He is there.

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow.

My standard answer to asking "Where did you see God?" is that in the beginning it will seem to be in coincidences and you're contriving it. Wonder, grace, laughter, and faith are not contrived. God really is there, isn't he?!!

I loved this one.

May 19, 2010, 7:53:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE that question...Where do you see God? I just asked my kids where they see God. F said she sees God in the wind and in things she doesn't understand but knows they work all the same. E said that she sees God in the Bible. Where do I see God?

I was actually pondering omnipresence while I was digging in the garden the other day. I SOOOOO understand why Jesus went to a garden to be with God. But, my favorite place to see God is in a thunderstorm. As a farmer's kid, I learned really young that farmers don't like thunderstorms. (One hail storm can completely wipe out an entire year's crop--farmers go from having a record crop to having nothing in 30 minutes or less.) My grandpa doesn't like artwork or even colors that look like a stormy sky. I like thunderstorms because they remind me that even when I'm on the verge of being wiped out, God is still in control.

Love you!

Laurie

May 19, 2010, 11:07:00 AM  

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