Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – God is known in Jesus, He is present in Holy Spirit. He is not hiding, God desires to be known.
Hebrews 1:3 TPT
[3] The Son is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature-his mirror image!….. He accomplished for us the complete cleansing of sins, and then took his seat on the highest throne at the right hand of the majestic One.
Observation
People ask “what is God like?” Well, He is like Jesus, exactly like Jesus, He is Jesus. God puts on flesh and enters His creation to display His true nature for everyone to see and know Him. So often God is shaped by what others say of him, by what our earthly fathers were like, or interpreted through our own experiences. God shaped us and we return the favour by shaping him. And so often our interpretations fall so short that the God of our interpretation is nothing but a poor imposter. But Jesus is the “mirror image.” Don’t go to faulty interpretations, go to the “exact expression,” and see for yourself.
If Jesus didn’t then God doesn’t. God gets the blame for so many things that happen, acts of nature, the death of our loved ones, a virus that isolates, our broken relationships. We make outrageous claims and finger pointing but the real test is – would Jesus have done that? Is there any evidence in the life and words of Jesus that he would have behaved this way? If you can’t justify it through the life and words of Jesus as being an act of God, then go back to the blame board, you’ve got it wrong.
If Jesus did, the God does. If Jesus accepts sinners at His table of fellowship, then God accepts them. If Jesus loved the unloveable, then God does. If Jesus destroyed man made religion, then God does. If Jesus defends the lowly, then God does. You get it, if Jesus did, then God does.
You see, God wants to be known. God is not distant, He is not lurking in the unknown of ‘out there,’ He became fleshly present so that He could be intimately known. He then leaves us physically so that He can be come in the form of spirit, Holy Spirit, and intimately continue our knowing of Him by being present with me always. Holy Spirit is always bringing greater revelation of Jesus, for this is how we know God. And then He “completes the cleansing of sins,” so that nothing can interrupt His self declaration to us. Forgiveness was for God, forgiveness is always for the one doing the forgiving, it enabled Him to have you to himself without interruption. Okay, forgiveness is great for me too, but don’t miss the fact that God cleanses you from all sin because he wants to be intimately known to you.
God comes to be known in the person of Jesus, He destroys the power of sin and death so He can have us forever to himself, and then He comes in the form of spirit so that He can be intimately with me. A time will come when I will be changed so that I can interpret His presence in a face to face restoration of Eden way. This is the story of scripture, God wants to be known to you, by you.
Application
I will live looking constantly to Jesus that I may see God and know Him. I will live in the intimate presence of Holy Spirit so that the God I meet in Jesus I experience in Holy Spirit. Jesus enters in flesh so that I can understand Him from my perspective of humanity, He then comes in spirit that I may follow Him supernaturally into the life He has revealed to me. I will live with my eyes fixed on him, inviting the interpretation and empowerment of the Spirit to enable me to walk like him, with him.
Response
Thank you God that you want to be known. You do not want me to bow down to idols made of mans hands, or dead prophets that had their time. You are alive, present and engaged in my life. Thank you that you have removed anything that can seperate me from your presence. Thank you that in knowing you I am known to the creator of life, and you lead me into the life you created and intended for me. I say confidently, “I know God.” I am blessed, and live in your blessing of knowing you.
Meditation
What interpretations of God do you shape Him by that are contradictory to the life of Jesus?
How beautiful is it that God passionately desires to be known by you, and makes knowing possible.
JOURNEY DEEPER