One of the most important promises that God gives us in Scripture is that he is with us. It was the one guarantee that Moses requested as he led Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land. The promise of God’s presence with us, as found in Isaiah’s prophecy, was ultimately and uniquely fulfilled in Jesus as he is given the name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
God is not only omnipresent in a general way, but he is also specifically present by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those he has chosen. However, God also wants us to daily experience his presence in a very personal and unique way throughout our faith journey. Each time God shows up in our lives, he reveals a color or facet of his glory.
As Jesus prepared for his redemptive work on the cross, he reflected on the previous three plus years that he spent with the disciples, declaring to the Father, “I have glorified you on earth having accomplished the work You have given me to do” (John 17:3). The work that Jesus is referring to in this context is expressed in verse 6. “I have manifested Your name to the men You gave Me.” As Jesus lived and interacted with the disciples, he constantly showed them the nature of the God they worshipped. So, the writer of Hebrews could say, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3).
In light of God’s promise to be with us, the critical question is not will God show up, but in what way? God does not always show up as we would like or expect. The most obvious illustration of this principle is the Hebrew expectation of God showing up as the Messiah. The Jews had a picture of how the Messiah would appear based on their understanding of the Old Testament prophecies. They were not wrong in their hope of the Messiah but only in how the Messiah would initially show up. They expected the Lion of Judea; instead, He came as the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God. They failed to see God because of their inaccurate, preconceived picture and expectation. God showed up, but not as they expected or wanted. And they missed him!
Abraham is another example of a person of faith who discovered the mystery of how God shows up to fulfill His promises. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of numerous descendants through Sarah, his wife. Abraham and Sarah concluded after 40 years of waiting that God would show up through the handmaid, Hagar. But they were wrong. Then when Abraham took Isaac, the promised heir, up the mountain to sacrifice him as God commanded, he believed God would show up and fulfill his promise. He just wasn’t sure how but reasoned that God could bring Isaac back from the dead (Hebrews 11:9). Instead, God provided a ram in the bushes. Abraham’s faith allowed God to show up as he pleased.
The story of the Israelites entering the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership provides another example of God showing up but not as expected. The Israelite leadership were ecstatic after the display of God’s presence and power in the fall of Jericho. But, unfortunately, they thought he would show up in a similar way as they went up against the comparatively minor and insignificant city called Ai. So confident were they that they didn’t bother to pray and ask God for directions. Well, God showed up alright but in defeat…not victory (Joshua 6 & 7).
In each case, they learned something important about God’s nature. At Jericho, they learned that God is powerful and can break down fortified city walls using a parade. But at Ai, they learned that God is holy. They learned that God is serious about sin, and his commands are not just suggestions.
Fast forward to the book of Acts, where we have another example of God showing up in unexpected ways. After Christ’s resurrection, Peter and John are arrested and put into prison. But after a stern warning from the rulers and elders, they were released (Acts 4). Weeks later, some of the apostles were again arrested and put into prison. This time an angel of the Lord opens the gates of the prison and sets them free to preach the gospel (Acts 5:17+). It looks like a pattern of victory over jealous and arrogant leaders.
So, when Herod arrests James, the brother of John, in Acts 12, I am sure the early believers were taken aback when James is executed. Unfortunately, Herod’s execution of James is so popular with the masses, he decides to imprison Peter with the intent of imminent execution (Acts 12). Faced with this crisis, the local believers hold an all-night prayer meeting for Peter’s safety. I am sure they were praying for Peter’s deliverance. But how?
During the night, an angel escorts Peter out of the well-guarded prison, where he immediately goes to the house where the believers are praying for God to show up. We don’t know what they expected, but it is evident by their reaction that they didn’t expect Peter’s release so quickly. When Rhoda, the servant girl, reported that Peter was outside on the patio, they thought she was out of her mind! God showed up with both James and Peter but in different ways.
The familiar anecdotal story of a man stranded on his roof during a flood illustrates the point. Praying for God’s deliverance, he turns down several offers of help from neighbors who come by in their boats. Then, standing before God after he drowns, he asks why his prayers were not answered. God replies, “I sent three boats, and you turned down each one.”
Since God’s great purpose is to reveal his glory to us personally, we should expect that he would use our various circumstances to make himself known, especially during difficult times. We usually prefer God to show up like he did at Jericho rather than Ai. But there are aspects of God’s nature we can only experience in pain, conflict, and disappointment.
In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul is transparent about his struggle to understand how God was showing up. Paul initially considered his “thorn in the flesh” to be an unnecessary obstacle that God could easily remove. However, the thorn that caused Paul discomfort was not an accident or an unnecessary inconvenience.
After repeated prayer for its removal, Paul gains God’s perspective. Rather than removal, God promises to provide the grace/strength to endure it. Because of the thorn, Paul was to experience the grace of God in a new way. Once Paul understands that his discomfort is linked to a greater knowledge of Christ, he welcomes it as a friend rather than an enemy (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
So How did God show up in your life yesterday? How will he show up today?
Questions for reflection
1. What other examples in Scripture can you think of where God showed up unexpectedly?
- Where have you been surprised by how God showed up along your journey?
I’m reminded of Isaiah 64:3….”When You did awesome things, which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence”
Thanks Ron. Great exercise in reflection.