Who do you say I am?

So a lot of time we tend to be careful. Careful with how we relate with people.

You know, you’re on the train, it’s not so crowded and everything seems to be going smoothly. The train doors open at the next stop and this seemingly cool person sits next to you. They have a smile on their face and seem super-normal and maybe even interesting. You look down and they have the sneakers you really like. Barring the sneakers they seem to be attractive too, at least you could ask about the sneakers. You try to chat em up but they’re as shy as you and you don’t really know what to do with that. So you keep chatting anyway, I mean why not? Then it comes to that time when you have to decide if you really want their number or not, or if it’s worth a potential lets-run-into-each-other-again kind of scenario. Perfect timing too because the train doors open at your stop and you have only 1 min to decide. You give an awkward smile and then there’s the awkward pause. Before the door closes you wave a big hello-goodbye and jet out. You didn’t get their number and you might never see them again or maybe it might just be too awkward you’d probably pretend like you don’t see them the next time. Another awkward situation, another day... or month.

Telling stories like this get’s me thinking about how people relate with God too sometimes. You know, how we like to “date” God, or just chat em up when we can. Or maybe just hangout as best as we could without really getting real. The thing is relationship with God isn’t supposed to be like that. It’s supposed to be the most intimate relationship you could ever have. It’s one thing to know about God, it’s another to genuinely know Him for who He is to you. In Matt 16: 13 - 20, Jesus asked the disciples, “who do the people believe I am?”. The disciples gave Him some answers but, the answers didn’t reflect who really He was. They said, some were convinced He was the popular John the baptizer, others said He was Elijah’s reincarnate, or maybe Jeremiah, or some other prophet… They thought about Him from what they could see from a distance, but never really got to know Him. If people judged you from a distance how would you feel? This people knew Jesus from a distance. They followed Him from city to city trying to get healed, maybe to get some food or hear a new encouraging Word, theology or insight to get them through their day. But they never got to know Him. The people who actually got to know Him were those who spent real tangible time with Him. His disciple — Peter. Peter understood Jesus as his promised savior. The son of the living God. It was personal to him. There is something about knowing God for who He is to you, not who He is to everyone else. It’s one thing to know that God provides, it’s another to know Him as my provider. It’s one thing to know that God heals, it’s another thing to know Him as my healer. It’s one thing to know Him as savior, it’s another thing to know Him as my savior.

To know God you need to get personal. It’s one thing to know who He might be to others or what people say about Him or the things He could give you. It’s another thing to know who He is to you. Get real with Him, ask Him the real questions and let Him fill the missing pieces. He knows you already anyway, so why not? I want to urge you to try getting alone with God and finding out who He is to you. To have Him come in to your life fully and not half way. To not hold anything back. He loves you and is overjoyed to connect with you in the most personal way if you would let Him.

Tips on Connecting with God daily.

1. Worship. Instead of J.Cole try playing some Hillsong now and then :).

2. Pray. Talk to Him even if it’s 5 - 10 mins a day, and hear Him out.

3. Love people. It takes one to know one. God is love, so love — you’ll have something in common.

4. Read His Word. They’re His literal Words to you right now.