Do I Know You?

John 1:43-51

In 2020, when we have the world at our fingertips, why do so many people feel alone?  How can we have 1000+ “friends” and feel like no one knows us?

In today’s passage, Nathanael is surprised that Jesus knows him.  He asks, “How do you know me?” and Jesus answers, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree.”  God’s ability to SEE is far greater than we can comprehend.  God sees us before we are even “us.”  He knows each of us intimately and wants us to witness great things and experience the wonders of his love.

In this new year, I plan to use Psalm 25:4-5 as my prayer. (I imagine Nathanael prayed something similar):  Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.  Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

And like Nathanael, I’ll ask Jesus with an earnest heart, “How do you know me?”  Then I’ll listen for his answer because the key to developing a deeper relationship with Him is knowing Him and knowing that with Him, I’m never alone.

So, if you need to hear these words today… God sees you.  He sees you sitting there under the fig tree and you are not alone.

Show me your ways, Lord,

Teach me your paths.
 

As followers of God, one might think that we do not sin or ever make mistakes.  With God’s favor upon us, we should be able to live perfect lives, right?  We should be able to simply practice what we preach and never seem like hypocrites when we fall short.

          If only our faith in God was a guarantee of never stumbling.  If only we could be certain of God’s ways and possess the strength to always resist temptation.  Instead, we gradually let go of the spiritual rewards that God promises and make choices that take us in our own direction.  We lose our way and often find ourselves stuck with consequences of our own making.  But because we are followers of God, when (not if) we take a
misstep, we can return to Him, unashamed!

God is faithful.  He meets us where we are.  We can call on Him even if we have done terrible things.  We can turn to Him even after a period of going it alone.  He does not begrudge us for the detours that we make.  He responds with grace and forgiveness.  He is never disappointed or discouraged by our behavior.  He welcomes us with open arms.  At any time, we can ask Him to take the lead again and show us His way of truth and light.

God is merciful.  We can take refuge in Him and trust and obey. So often we think we know what we "need", when what we need is to pray and listen for God to speak  Can we give it to God and resist taking control of our situation by doing something even if it’s wrong?  Patiently waiting is how we place our hope in God.  And our choice not to act is how we act on faith in God to show us his ways.

Psalm 25:1-5

^{Psalm 25}

¹ In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.

2 I trust in you;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.

⁴ Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.