We’ve always believed that the beauty of the truths we hold dear, as Seventh-day Adventists will be enough to keep us tethered securely to our faith. But what if that it’s not enough? What if belief in the system was never meant to be the thing that held us fast?
The Jewish nation believed their strict adherence to the law was enough.
They:
- Had the truth
- Were God’s special people
- Were commandment keepers
- Were watching for Messiah
Do you see any similarities between them and us?
Yet they did not recognize the Lamb of God. They rejected Jesus because He didn’t fit the picture in their minds of what Messiah would look like. Or how Messiah would behave. Or the work Messiah would do. Jesus disappointed their expectations!
Can we state it plainly? They didn’t recognize Him—because they did not know Him. This is how Jesus put it: “You do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me,” (John 10:26, 27).
Do you believe we are His sheep? That He is our Shepherd? Are you sure?
How do we hear His voice? How do we come to know Him and be known by Him? How do we learn to follow Him?
We come to know God—as we come to know one another.
- By talking together
- Being quiet together
- Sharing life together
- Weathering the storms together
- Celebrating the good times, grieving the sad times, together
We come to know God—and to be known by God—through the place of prayer. On our knees, in quiet places, alone with Him. We speak, pour out our hearts, our tears . . . and we listen. He listens, and through His Word, He speaks to us, shares His heart, shares Himself.
It’s not enough to have our names on the books. Not enough to hold onto a system of belief. We must know Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And we come to know, and be known, by Him—in the place of prayer.
In prayer and in His Word, we position ourselves to be changed, transformed, re-created, by God. In prayer, our hearts are tuned into a heavenly frequency, so we can hear Him clearly.
Prayer silences the static of a noisy world. It changes us. Softens us. We begin to see things differently. We start to look at people differently. We begin to see them as Jesus sees them.
Prayer is not difficult. It is simply drawing near to the One Who loves us. And finding, in that place of prayer, the One in Whom our soul delights.
Go there. Find a quiet place. Share your heart with Him and wait, wait in the stillness, as He tunes your heart to hear Him speak to you. You won’t be disappointed!
Keep looking up, my friends! We’re almost Home.
Pastor Karen.