When God Shows Up

 “Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 10:4)  

God is always here.  The Lord is always present.  But He most often works behind the scenes in an invisible realm.  He does so in the Bible and in our world, so much so that believers often see His handiwork and rejoice, but unbelievers see nothing.

Nonetheless, throughout time He has shown up in many dramatic, supernatural, and spectacular ways.  In the Old Testament, God reveals Himself in many forms.  He speaks once through a burning bush, later out of a whirlwind, and to Elijah in a gentle whisper. When God showed up, something significant happened or was about to happen, something we need to pay attention to.

In the New Testament, God showed up in the form of a servant. Jesus did not show up as a storm, but He did show up in the storm, and He stilled the storm by His command.  He showed up after His death, alive again, having conquered the grave.

On occasions such as these, God shows up in power and majesty, or in some dramatically visible way; He pulls back the curtain that separates the invisible world from the natural one.  He gives those on earth a glimpse of heaven and Himself on the throne.  When God shows up in the Bible, there will be miracles, revelation, callings, wisdom, changed lives, revival, judgment, and much more.

When God showed up at the Red sea, He divided the waters.  When God showed up at Jericho the walls came tumbling down.  When the glory of God filled the temple the priest stood in silence before the Lord.  When God showed up during the great awakening revival swept across the land and countless lives were changed.

I believe in a God who still wants to show up and change lives. I believe in a God who still has a plan for His church, a plan for revival among His people and a new great spiritual awakening across our nation and around the world!  God shows up, but it isn’t until we open our hearts to God and our eyes to His word that we see God showing up in our lives.  God shows up in our dreams, our words, and our desires.

God shows up to point us in the right direction or He shows up to make you realize what it is that is important to you in your life.  God shows up at church too.  Have you ever gone to a service where every song and every word of that message spoke directly to your soul?  I know I have!  It is an amazing and wonderful feeling.  It feels as if God is speaking directly to you.  He is feeding you the words that you so desperately have been praying to hear.  He is rejuvenating you for the journey He wants you to take.

Just like in 1996 when God showed up in the life of an ole' country boy who barely made it out of high school, and twenty-three years later I had planted a church in Alaska, been a missionary to India and Haiti, pastored two churches in Idaho, and started two mission organizations.  When God shows up you better buckle up your seat belt because it’s going to be the ride of your life!  It’s crazy catching even the smallest details that go on in your life and analyzing how God showed up in those moments.

We also often forget that the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees, but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord.  And even if you are at a point in time where you feel like God isn’t around anymore; please know that God has NEVER failed to SHOW UP!

Even in the toughest of times, God is waiting for the perfect opportunity to bless our socks off.  We just have to love Him and be ready for what He has in store.

(Additional scriptures to read about what happens when God shows up: Acts 9:1-15; Isaiah 35; Ezekiel 10) 

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