Who am I? Depending on what group of people you ask, you could get varying answers. If you ask family, friends, co-workers there will be similarities in responses but they all won't be exactly the same because they know me in varying degrees or aspects. Now if you were to ask strangers or acquaintances their answers would be much more different and possibly wrong. Why? It is because one group has a relationship with me and the other doesn't. Strangers can only make assumptions, or mimic others, because there is no relationship, no communication.
This can be the same way for God.
I was doing a devotional and I was reading in Matthew 16 where Jesus begins to ask the disciples who do people say that I am? The disciples gave varying answers saying "some people say John the Baptist, some Elijah, others Jeremiah and even some a prophet" (Matt. 16: 13-14). Do you see, Jesus was being called five different things from the people on the outside (essentially strangers). These people did not have a close relationship with Jesus and therefore assumptions, rumors begin to form.
Jesus' next question was to those whom he knew, walked with, was forming relationship with. Jesus said "But who do YOU say that I am"? (Matt. 13:15). Peter speaks up and says "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 13:16). This was an answer from someone close with Jesus, one who walked with him and communed with him. God had revealed to Peter the true answer of who Jesus was. Peter's answer didn't match up to all the other rumors going around from the people on the outside. Why? I am going to boil it down to one word: Relationship. And I am going to go as far as to say Active Relationship.
Let's define some words.
Relationship: The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected.
Active: engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits.
So I am going to define active relationship as energetic pursuit to connect. Wow I mean that really places the ball in both courts here, it isn't one sided. When you have a relationship with someone you begin to see the other person as they truly are, you begin to be able to trust that person, you learn their voice, their mannerisms. When you have an active relationship, pursuit is happening on both ends and deeper growth, trust, and love develops. As this active relationship develops you then can point out imposters and who really knows this person or who just has heard about them or is a complete stranger. So when someone asks you who is so and so, you can confidently say they are.....because you have put in the effort to know them and they you.
This brings me back to the question, Who Do You Say that I AM? and not me the blogger. God asks me, who do I say that He is?
God the Father. Jesus. Holy Spirit. Who Do I say that they are? My answer reflects my relationship status. Am I a stranger that makes assumptions, am I one with a surface level relationship or do I have a deep active relationship to be able to answer rightly? You see with active relationship more revelation happens, more understanding , more love, more trust, more faith. So yes God is the God of peace (Jhn 14:27), Jesus is Savior (Isa12:12), Holy Spirit is Comforter (Jhn 14:26). AND when your relationship is active what is true about God becomes personal for you! So not only is the Holy Spirit a comforter, He is the comforter that comforted you during a family death. Not only is God the God of peace, He is the God that brought peace int he middle of your storm! Jesus isn't only the one who died the save the world, He is the Jesus that saved you from your own destruction. You see God is a personal God, He doesn't want you to just hear or read about Him. God has called you closer, a closer walk, a closer relationship, a deeper love, a greater knowledge of who He truly is in your life. Why? Because he doesn't want the lies and assumptions of the world or your thoughts to disrupt or misconstrue the genuine love he has for you.
You see it's hard to trust someone who you don't know. This is fact 100% for me. I struggle with trusting people especially if I don't really know you. People are fickle, they let you down, they can lie. BUT God is not any of those things and you come to know that by having an active relationship with Him. God shows himself to be true to His word, he never fails, and he always wants best for you!
And the best part is, your relationship with God whether the lack there of or not, has already started. It started with His active pursuit of you! (Jhn 3:16-17).
Lord, thank you for your grace in my life. Thank-you for pursuing me Lord and never giving up, never growing disgruntled or weary. Jesus you are Holy and Sovereign. You are with me in the journey called life. I pray for deeper roots Lord, deeper love for you as I know you more. Thank you Jesus for eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to follow. I pray for all those who don't know your love for them yet, that your Holy Spirit will touch their hearts and minds. That truth will penetrate their lives.
In Jesus Name, Amen.