The Wonder Of Knowing Him
Southaven, Ms
By: Mike Upchurch
If you’re not a born again Christian but yet believe in God, you might dream that knowing the Lord personally could really be helpful in life. You might think that if God would visit with you and spend time with you, then you could learn all the secrets to being successful! He might share insider information on the Stock Market. Or maybe tell you which Sports Team will win! He might even tell you who’ll win Elections. He might divulge secrets on how to be rich! You would know stuff no one else would know. If you could spend time with God, you could rule the world!! You could have knowledge and understanding about all manner of this life on Earth! You would be somebody!!
If that’s what you think spending time with God would yield, then it’s clear you don’t understand Him. Not really. You see, it’s not about you. If you were to have a true encounter with God, you would simply be still and be in awe. He is holy. He is all powerful, and you’d know that by just being in His presence. You would grasp the infinity of His power, and you’d also realize the finite and limited entity that you are. You would worship. You wouldn’t ask Him for tips on the Stock Market. If you were truly in His presence, I doubt you’d ask Him for anything at all. I think your heart would be filled with fear, yet in awe of Him.
Being truly in His presence will ultimately be life changing. Your prayer life will change. You will stop using your prayer time to make it about all your petty requests.
Being in His presence will at first give you a sense of shame at your own sins. You will be filled with guilt. But then, you would also have a sense of what mercy and grace really mean. For one thing, you won’t be smitten and turned into a charcoal briquet, which is comforting and for that you’ll be grateful. You’ll realize that all you can do is weep when you understand the wonder of who He is, and the wretch that we are as humans. You’ll repent of every failure you can remember. You’ll continually say you’re sorry. But you’ll also continually praise Him.
You’ll realize your sins are forgiven and forgotten, and that will cause glee! You will learn things having been in His presence. You will, over time, understand that along with temptation, there will always be a way of escape provided. Sometimes it’s as simple as your saying no, but you’ll have power to turn from sin, once you’ve been with Him.
Even if you’re now a Christian but have never really sought the Lord, or if you’ve never surrendered to Him, please seek Him. Truly seek Him. Seek His face, not just His forgiveness. Seek to personally know Him. Deeply. To see Him in His glory. Seek His presence. Seek an encounter. Seek to be alone with Him. You’ll be in the presence of glory. You’ll be in the presence of power. You’ll be in the presence of deep unconditional love! And those realizations will change you. You’ll stop making it about you 24/7 and you’ll begin making it about Him. And your life will change. I know this first hand. You’re going to like the new you then. I guarantee it.
And that’s the way I see it.
Pastor Mike
