Show Yourself!

Sometimes I wonder why God does not make himself more obvious.  Sure, the signs are obvious and undeniable, to any honest and humble heart.  But, who has a pure heart, to see God?!   Why is He not more like the movie title, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”?!  Where is the lock that fits my key?  Some things fit, but, I have more questions than answers.

Really, why can’t God just break into our TV’s with a “sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled program, but tonight I am bringing you a special message from the real White House; …”?!!  Now, that would get our attention, right?  What if, everywhere, around the globe, at 3 p.m. local time, each time zone in turn, He appeared on all channels, in everybody’s own language?  After about the third time zone from the dateline, most people would be tuning in.  By the time it got to NYC, most people would have already listened to the BBC!  I can hear it now – “no, I’m serious; turn on your TV!  Google it and you can watch the youtubes with translations!  I’ve heard it in Japanese, Chinese, Hindi – look for the Australian video, you can understand it!!  God said …”

God could do this.  But, he chooses not to, seemingly.  As I pondered this question, driving to work one morning, eastbound, the rising Sun, nearly blinding me, forced me to lower my visor.  I wanted to stare into the brilliant orange fireball, but to do so would be hazardous.  It was beautiful, but too much for my retinas and was overloading my optical nerves.  It hurt to stare, but the beauty was overwhelming.  Like a moth to a flame I was feeling, drawn but dancing around, attracted but afraid!

So many have incredible stories of contact – trances and séances, anointings and appointings, visions and decisions, “over here” or “over there”.  Yet, I do sense you in the smile of a newborn.  I hear you in the silent glance and held hands of an old couple.  The stars can be heard praising on a clear, cool night.  Sometimes a song or even a good movie can stir my spirit to touch the ethereal.  And, when I read of the Nazarene, I muse, “yes!” 

But, when I turn to the glare and the noise, it gets extremely dark and quiet.  Like one trying to appreciate the delicate flavor of a mushroom cream after a jalapeño appetizer, I am left frustrated.  It will take a while to cleanse my palate to “taste and see that he is good”.  Like one trying to appreciate the intricacies of Bach after years of over-amped BTO, elusion leads to delusion.  A little too much AC/DC, and far too little "JC"!  We have taken the wrong exit, and we are on a "Highway to Hell"!  And like the people at Sinai, we ask not to meet.  Like the garden stumble, we fall back in fright, only to attack.

Create in me a new heart.  Give me ears to hear.  Turn and heal me.  I will listen for the whispers.  I will watch for the shadows.  Open my eyes that I may see.

Show Yourself!