Almost three years ago, I visited Israel with Kara, Joe, & Glenn and some new friends which made up our mission trip team. One night the section of our group was in the home of some Jewish believers for their fellowship meeting. At the beginning of the formal time, we all began to pray and I asked the Lord to show me how I might be a blessing to these people.
“Galatians 4.”
Ok, I had no idea what that chapter talked about, but I dutifully opened my Bible and read the chapter. There was a powerful message here and so I held it until I felt the time was right. Later, the pastor opened up the floor and we went around the room sharing whatever was on our heart with the help of our translator, Alex.
When the time was right, I began to share the message about being a son of God that the Lord had given me to speak to them. I could see that it was a powerful message to the group because of the weight and the way the pastor finished our time on this word.
I don’t remember ever hearing a sermon or teaching on what it means to be a son of God until that message that the Lord gave to me to share that night. Sometime after this I began to hear it more and more as the people I was fellowshipping with and being disciple by would teach on this important topic.
But you know what? After all this, I had very little understanding of what God means by calling me His son. And then one day, maybe 6 months ago, I was running in the park behind our home and I was struck like a lightening bolt with the vivid understanding of the enormous truth of what it means to be His son!
I will never be the same. I will never read scripture the same way again. I now own a precious truth that I never before could even grasp. And I had taught, as instructed by the Lord, on this subject!
You only truly know something when God Himself reveals it to you. If this has not happened, then you only posses head knowledge. This kind of knowledge is the most dangerous kind. It puffs us up with pride and makes us think we’re somehow more holy or gifted or wise then others.
It doesn’t matter if you have the Bible memorized! If the Lord has not taught you the things about which the Word speaks, then it is simply garbage taking up space. For years I went to hear as many great preachers as I could, hearing several sermons a week. I flew all around the country to be touched by God. I took as many classes as I could and read many books to learn about the spiritual life.
I’ve grown during this time, but now the Lord has me being very still so that He can teach me directly. This is not to say that He can’t teach me as I read what someone else has written. He does this and my prayer for you is that He will teach you here. But it’s His teaching which gives life. His ways are above our own and when He reveals a truth to you, it is so marvelously above anything your fallen mind could have imagined that it is impossible to express clearly in words and can instead only be pointed to.
Our prayer is that this presentation is a giant neon finger pointing towards the Truth and that you will take it and seek the Lord about it and that He will teach you!
Photo credit: jchc
This is Part 2 in the series Kingdom of God. To continue with this series, click on Pt 3. To use this as a growth tool to better understand your own calling, you might start by reading Part 1.