People sometimes say, “they are looking for God”. Others will not use those words but are looking for something to fill an emptiness in their lives. They are searching for an experience of God. If not their first encounter they are looking for a deeper or a lasting experience. They may say they are Spiritual but not Religious. I understand that. I often feel that same way. Deep down we are still wanting a satisfying experience of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit/Higher Power/Something Beyond Ourselves.
So we go to a new Bible Study, join a “small group”, start a new study, schedule a “quiet time”, resolve to go to church more, find a different church that “meets our needs” or something else that we hope will help us experience God in a new-deeper-meaningful-way.
We want to experience God/Jesus/Holy Spirit/Higher Power/Something Beyond Ourselves to find peace, fulfillment. forgiveness, a meaningful life or _________ (you fill in this blank).
Whatever it is, we have a deep longing for something more. More Spirituality, more of God, more of Jesus. More of something to fill that emptiness in our life.
Most of the things I mentioned ultimately make us withdraw from our surroundings and turn inward. That sounds really good, really Spiritual. Through the ages, people have turned to contemplation, meditation, study or worship to find a deeper experience of the Eternal.
If your search takes you to Jesus I have some suggestions as to where you might find him. That much-quoted scripture John 3:16 reminds us that “God loved the World”. To express that love Jesus was born into this world. He became a human. John 1:14 NLT So the Word became human and made His home among us. God did not withdraw from creation and life. He embraced it. He became part of it and lived as a human being.
When God wanted to reveal himself to us He became one of us living as a human in the same world we live in. Now when we want to find him, we often turn our backs on the world and look inward into ourselves or in religious activities. We may be looking in the wrong direction.
Jesus invited some people to “follow him”. Most of the time that following involved being with people. True there were times of solitude and reflection but most of the time spent following Jesus was being with him as he interacted with people, sometimes crowds of people, sometimes individuals, sometimes the 12. People were the focus of Jesus attention. Much of the time he met those peoples needs. He gave hope, he gave healing, he challenged people to become more than they had been. He brought direct encounters with God. The way the disciples learned about God was by listening to Jesus teachings but also by watching God interact with humanity in their times of need.
How do we have a deeper experience of God/Jesus/Spirit? Maybe it is the same way the Disciples did. By going with Jesus into the needs of people. To the least, to the powerless, to the hopeless. Want a deeper experience of Jesus? Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place! Mat 25:31 – 38 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? 39 When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’
Jesus so identifies with people in those conditions that when you do something good for them its as if you do it for him. I believe Jesus still identifies with those people and he is still trying to reach out to people. Especially those outside the mainstream of life. He is still trying to meet their needs. Maybe we need to look where Jesus looked. “The World”. People. Maybe, as he did with the 12, Jesus is looking for followers who will join him in meeting the needs of the hungry, the thirsty, the friendless, the destitute, the sick, those injured by life in this world and those chained and bound by Satan or the systems of our culture. Jesus said when you did you would experience HIM in a whole new and deeper way.
We go to religious activities expecting to meet Jesus there. Sometimes we do. Sometimes it is less than satisfying. Maybe we are in the wrong place. Maybe we need to get out of our Churches, our Bible Studies, our prayer groups and experience Jesus where He is – in the world. In others who are struggling with living. He named off groups of people that we often do not associate with. Maybe we should make the effort to cross some barriers.
Where is Jesus? How do you experience him? Look around you. You may meet him in the visitors waiting room at the county jail. You may meet him in the hurting person you are sitting beside in church. You may meet him in a neighbor or even in the checkout clerk at the grocery store. Ask Jesus to open your eyes. You might find healing for yourself by helping someone else heal.
A few more scriptures to read. Isaiah 58, James 2:13 – 20, Zechariah 7:10, Malachi 3:5