I wrote a blog a few weeks ago entitled: My God is so BIG where I talked about some of the awesome things our Heavenly Father is doing in and through some of our Real Life teams in Africa. When I wrote that particular entry, I too was in a place where I felt as though God was challenging and stretching my understanding of who He is. He has continued to do this.
The last several weeks I have been wrestling with the passage in John 21 where Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”. (As a quick reminder, Peter is the one who denied Jesus 3 times on the night of the crucifixion, and now, after the resurrection, Jesus stands before Peter and asks him three times if he loves Him). I feel as though Jesus has been asking me this very question lately along with another question that he asks Peter in Luke 9:20 “But what about you?…Who do you say that I am?”.
I’ll be honest in saying that my answer has often been: “Yes, Lord, I love you, but I don’t know who you are in my life.”. I have struggled a little to see Him as the God that He tells us He is in His Word. I’ve had to ask Him where He is in things and why I should see Him as trustworthy in my life. Bold and defiant even, I know.
The Lord, in His love and mercy has shown me who He is this week. He’s shown me how the hurts and pains in this life provide avenues and places for Him to move–to “show up” and REVEAL more of who He is to me. Does this mean He makes such things to happen, no, but He USES them to bring Himself glory–to redirect my eyes towards Him, once again.
This week alone, I have seen God as a provider, a protector, a comforter and a friend. I know He has been so much more, but these are the ways that He has allowed me to consciously see Him moving. I was humbled before Him this morning as I sat at His feet and heard Him ask me, “Jessica, who do YOU say that I am?”. My answer this morning couldn’t be “Lord, I don’t know.”
A trend that has been spreading through the World Race staff community recently is daily declarations of who God is. So often, we lose sight of the truth that God IS who He says He is. He is good, He is love, He is trustworthy, etc., etc.. We get wrapped up in this world and lose sight of the ALMIGHTY POWER of God to overcome obstacles and bring joy and blessing into our daily lives. So, we have a page of declarations to speak truth and prophesy richness over our day.
This morning, as I sat before the Lord, I sensed Him telling me to declare who He is in my life and to claim it as truth again and again. I want to challenge you this morning to do the same.
If you need a little help in reminding yourself who He is, take some time to listen to this declaration from Chris Tomlin. I think it captures a hint of how God wants us to see Him in our daily lives…
