Here is the revelation shaping my life today – there is way too much talk and not enough awe and wonder in our lives with Jesus. It’s not meant to be this way. We have sanitised the beauty, danger, mystery and supernatural presence of God into a safely spoken religion about God who is as boring as religion has always been.
Mark 1:21-22 TPT
[21] Then Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum, and he immediately started teaching on the Sabbath day in the synagogue. [22] The people were awestruck and overwhelmed by his teaching because he taught in a way that demonstrated God’s authority, which was quite unlike the religious scholars.
Observation
There is the world of difference between speaking about a thing and demonstrating it. Religion always talks about what God requires. But what God wants is to demonstrate who he is and to invite us intimately into a demonstration of his presence and love. An experience of God’s beauty or love is worth a thousand sermons about God. When you experience it, you are left “awestruck and overwhelmed.” When you hear about it, you are left somewhere between bored and interested.
Has church lost its “awestruck and overwhelmed” demonstrations of God and become a platform for religious scholars? Is this why so many churches are of such little interest to so many Australians? I have been “awestruck and overwhelmed,” by God’s presence many times in my life. For me, there is nothing in the natural realm that moves me more deeply, transforms me more thoroughly, and delights me at a level of pleasure that is not measurable or comparable. Essentially nothing compares to an intimate encounter with God. It’s mystical, it’s supernatural, and it challenges my critical mind, but it’s undeniable and sends my life into motion that only love on steroids has the capacity to.
It’s not words without action, it’s words that are then demonstrated. It’s hard to trust what you don’t understand and control. Is this why church leaders trust their words rather than God to enact his words? It puts leaders out there when they put down the microphone and the wisdom and eloquence of their personal revelations and trust that the God they say is present will be present. As I preacher I can feel the pull of the ego and not wanting to look like a fool so stay on the solid ground of your teaching. But this is not the way of God. He doesn’t want people to hear about him, he only wants people to experience him. That is what he said in Jesus, incarnational presence is important for you, so I will make it available to you. And when Jesus left he made it available spiritually by way of His personal presence in spirit form. Maybe we need to return to the posture of mystics and expectation of supernatural presence rather than reliance on our religious teaching. It’s the way of Jesus, and it’s awe and wonder!
Application
Kill the ego, walk in the supernatural expectation of demonstration that leaves people in “awestruck and overwhelmed,” wonder. This is when the gospel is beautifully alive. I’m sick of impressive words without demonstration. I’m sick of words altogether at the expense of experiencing Her personal presence. “Lead me into the mystical supernatural wonder and awe of your presence,” this is my prayer.
Response
Thank you that you don’t want religious scholars to be our leaders, thank you that this is not your plan. Thank you that you lead, you teach, you demonstrate, you overwhelm, and you leave us awestruck. This is life, awestruck by the demonstration of your love, I want this life.
Meditation
Meditate – The people were awestruck and overwhelmed by his teaching because he taught in a way that demonstrated God’s authority.
Consider:
What keeps you from seeking this type of encounter?
Is there place, rhythm, seeking, of the supernatural that leaves you in awe, in your life?
JOURNEY DEEPER
