A while back I met a man who seemed determined to convince me that he was a good Christian. He claimed he had dedicated most of his life to “serving God.” I was eager to talk about his relationship with Christ. In response to my question, “who is God to you,” he dropped a few big names he had worked with—Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, etc. After he talked for a while, I pressed him about his personal walk with Christ; but—he continued to relate stories about his life with famous evangelical personalities. He spent most of his life traveling all over the world in their service. As he mentioned the name of each person, he would ask, “You know him, right?” It was as if he needed to validate how important they were; and thus establish how critical his work for God had been. Despite my persistent questioning, I heard nothing from him about a personal relationship with God. I finally quit asking and let him finish telling his stories until it was time to go.
I can tell you this—if I had been searching for God, I wouldn’t have been any closer to finding Him by listening to this gentleman. I never heard one word about God from this man—who said he spent his entire life serving God!
The next morning as I was listening to God during my quiet time, He reminded me of my meeting with this man. God challenged me with some questions:
“When people meet YOU, do they HEAR about ME?”
“Do they SEE ME when they see YOU?”
“Do they SENSE MY presence—in YOU?”
“Do you talk mostly about ME or YOURSELF?”
“Who’s name are YOU dropping, My child?”
Was I any closer to God as a result of meeting that man? Absolutely not! Now then, what about the people who meet ME??? This thought hit me like a one-ton truck! God has a way of humbling me and reminding me that I’ve got a long way to go in my walk with Him!!! But—I’m so grateful He is patient with me.
The fact is—WITHOUT God—we don’t have much of ANYTHING to give ANYONE! But…
…when we’re WITH God, we have EVERYTHING to give!
In God’s presence we become a refreshing stream flowing with the fruits of His Spirit which are…
“Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23 https://bible.com/bible/114/gal.5.22-23.NKJV
Everyone wants MORE love, kindness, joy and peace—right??? Can you imagine being in the presence of someone who overflows with these rare qualities? It would be a profound experience. In fact, you would WANT to know how to be MORE like them—right? God’s presence has a profound experience upon our life. We abound in all the good He represents. WE overflow with the fruits of the Spirit, and we can’t help but point people back to HIM as the source of all good things!!!
When God’s presence becomes our greatest asset, we can’t stop talking about Him because He gives us everything we’ve been searching for our entire life!
When people meet us, they should be meeting God. What a great challenge! As I read this Psalm, I pray for God to fill me to overflowing with all the fruits of His Spirit!
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah”
Psalms 24:1-6 https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.24.1-6.NKJV.
When we seek God with our whole heart, the essence of His presence lingers…long after we’re gone.
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3 Responses
Another great devotion, that really hit home, that “people should be meeting God, in us”.
Amen, Daniel! Blessings,
Kimberly