Saturday, May 10, 2014
On The Journey With God
Have you ever taken a long trip with someone and were eager to get to the destination? Growing up we lived in central Illinois and every summer traveled to the east coast to visit with my dad’s family. Many times my dad would drive straight through with a stop for a few hours sleep in the car. Recently I thought about those vacations and there were definitely good times there. But I also remember the driving, going through the tunnels in the mountains, and the games we would play together as a family – license plate, I see something that starts with… and so on. These were good family times. And it was always good to get back home, making that same drive. This morning I saw these trips in a different way. The trip was not just arriving out east, it was the entire experience that was fun. There was the waiting in the car for hours while we were getting to the next point on the journey. Then there was an experience. Then more waiting. This is like our journey with God.
John 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John was talking about the arrival of the Messiah, saying that we moved from the grace in the law to the grace brought by Jesus. Clearly we see events in the scriptures where there were periods of waiting and then events. It is interesting what John says next.
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John says that Jesus declared the Father. The word “declared” here is quite interesting. It means the originating point of action with authority. Both by His actions and His speaking, Jesus was declaring the Father. We have that same opportunity to declare God in the world. In fact, Jesus directed us to do just that.
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Here Jesus told them to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This word “preach” means speech only. However, they were to also bring wholeness to people. And they were to go from place to place. The time in between, and the events. Their journey with God was declaring the kingdom of heaven. Our lives do declare something, by our actions and our speaking. As I reflect on God today, I ask myself, what is my life declaring?
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You. You truly are the Most High. Thank You for being in our lives. forgive us when we declare something with our lives other than You. Please help us, by our words and our speaking, to declare You to the world. Please send us today Your healing, deliverance, and abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.