Posted on 08/01/2019 1:34:47 AM PDT by metmom
“The men were amazed, and said, ‘What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” (Matthew 8:27).
There are no realities more overwhelming than a glimpse of God’s glory or the sense of His presence. Such occurrences make it impossible not to be utterly dumbfounded before Him.
The disciples realized after Christ stilled the storm that He indeed was God standing in their boat with them. Peter displayed the same reaction of awe and terror when he briefly walked on water after his Lord did. A storm surged up and caused Peter to panic. When Jesus rescued the disciple and calmed the storm, all the disciples in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” (Matt. 14:33; cf. vv. 28–32). That is simply the proper reaction any believer should have when getting a firsthand glimpse of the Lord’s power in this world.
God’s servants in Scripture had far more astounding earthly encounters with His magnificence than we ever will, but their examples are instructive. Daniel, for example, after beholding the Almighty, remarked, “No strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor” (Dan. 10:8; cf. Isa. 6:1, 5). When the risen Christ halted Paul (Saul of Tarsus) on his way to Damascus, “he fell to the ground” (Acts 9:4).
Our daily dependence on God and sense of His presence should be no less important for us than for the prophets and apostles of old. Isaac Watts’ lyrics capture this concept well:
On thee each moment we depend, If Thou withdraw we die. O may we ne’er that God offend, Who is forever nigh.
Ask Yourself
Pause long enough to marvel at the glory of your ever-present God. Put your feelings of awe into words of worship.
Studying God’s Word ping
People really don’t understand Jesus’ teachings, or they do understand them and choose not to follow them as if they did....
John 14:
“11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
People say they have accepted Jesus, but He does not know them. They have accepted Him in word only and not action.
John 14:
“16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.
Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
WOW... Our Father that is in Jesus is also in us if we have accepted Jesus. Why is it that people don’t realize that Jesus is already here, but people don’t see and feel Him as they have not fully accepted Him.
When you are truly “born again” and accept Jesus and the Holy Spirit within you, you perceive a whole new reality. Your perception changes just as when you leave the womb and first perceive this world, except that with Jesus in you, you perceive directly from your soul or consciousness and are not limited to your five senses. You see without your eyes and hear without words.
Thank you for posting this.
MacArthur expresses precisely how I feel some days when I actually stop and contemplate God. I get kind of overwhelmed by the wonder of Him.
Isaac Watts is one of my favorite hymnists. I’ve really taking a liking to his music.
‘Pod
There would be no escape from this nightmare hell of a world without the mercy and goodness of GOD the HOLY FATHER and CHRIST his HOLY SON. In fact this world is nothing but a distraction from that truth.
Amen.
There are no realities more overwhelming than a glimpse of God’s glory or the sense of His presence. Such occurrences make it impossible not to be utterly dumbfounded before Him.
We’ve seen the same in several different situations in our family’s life.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.