Who is God to you TODAY?
“God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8)”.
Since the beginning of time God has had a relationship with His creation, with people. In the Old Testament we see God present mostly in audible interaction and sometimes in natural demonstrations (i.e. the burning bush). Fast forward thousands of years. He took on a physical body, being born on Earth just like the rest of us. Jesus is Immanuel - God with us! Some people like to stop the story of Jesus here but this was only the beginning. At age 12 we get to meet Jesus again as He journeys with his parents to Jerusalem as part of the annual celebration of Passover. Following the culmination of the celebration Jesus proceeds to stay behind as his parents travel back home unaware of his absence. Even though Jesus has been with his parents these past 12 years, they could not understand his choice to stay behind engaging with the religious leaders because they still could not fully comprehend who He was. Fast forward to the end of Jesus’ life. Many people were dismayed and disillusioned about Jesus dying on the cross. Once again, what they saw and understood was limited even though Jesus had been in their midst, explaining who He was to them Himself. Finally, He gave us Himself once again in the form of the Holy Spirit so that we could experience the greatest possible closeness imaginable.
What is God showing us about God here? God can show up differently in different seasons and still be the same God. Just because we haven’t encountered God in a particular way doesn’t mean it’s not God. Are we open to seeing God as He is or only who we have known God to be in the past? As we grow older we have the opportunity to grow and change. Our needs and wants inevitably shift as we age. Our desires and goals are different than they used to be. Learning and experience open up gates of possibility. While I think most of us could get behind this sentiment in our practical lives, I wonder how many of us are willing to accept the growth and change inherent in our spiritual lives?
Jesus learned and grew just like us. Immediately after the story about Jesus in the temple at age 12, Luke 2:52 in the Mirror tells us that, “Meanwhile Jesus continued to engage and advance with courageous progress in all things; in wisdom, in stature and in the consciousness of favor before God and His fellow human beings.” While there is usually a day or time that we can point to that we can say we believed in Jesus for the first time, it doesn’t mean that in that moment we fully understand who He is and what the implications are for our belief. While the Gospel always stays the same, our grasp and comprehension of it will evolve if we are open to it.
As dynamic, changing beings, it is not a matter of if, but how our perspectives shift, including in the spiritual/ faith realm. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Mirror Translation reminds us that, “...we all with NEW (emphasis added) understanding, see ourselves in Him as in a mirror…The Spirit of the Lord engineers this radical transformation…” God doesn’t just want un INformed He wants us TRANSformed. The best way to check on our progress is to check in with the Holy Spirit. Is what I’m believing aligned with who God says God is or what others told me about God? Is this the whole story? Am I missing something? Is there an area of my life I’m not giving God access to? Am I trying to put Jesus in a box of what I am comfortable accepting about Him or asking questions to learn more about Him? In the temple Jesus was not just there making statements but “engaging their attention with remarkable questions”. Contrary to what religion might teach, our questions about our faith and who God is often have the capacity to increase our faith rather than diminish it. Our former beliefs don’t have to be our final beliefs - instead they can be the building blocks upon which to build a greater faith, a more whole and complete faith. Our nostalgic, historical frame of reference of God often serves to comfort us, but not necessarily move us forward to experience the thriving life Jesus is offering us today. Praise God that who He showed up as in our past is not all of who He is! Recognizing God’s constant presence in our lives today is what helps us to access the abundant life He promised right here and now.
You see, God is always doing something new! Are we opening our hearts and minds to recognize it? “I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland (Is. 43:19, NLT).” God has revelation upon revelation of who He is. We all have the Holy Spirit within us to help this revelation unfold into a faith that brings greater understanding and freedom. A faith that shines the light of His love that doesn’t grow dim. A faith and a hope that draws other people to THE light so they can experience God’s presence and victory here and now.
- Katie Rivera
