What Works

Seeking God is an art. Knowing and connecting with God seems to be a mystery that looks more like a constant game of hide and seek. I find myself looking for a method that works, a system that works, or anything that works in inspiring me spiritually. Instinctively I know this is only accomplished on an individual basis, but now i realize this is also experienced moment by moment. I have found what works today might not work tomorrow. When we finally discover that nothing works 100% of the time it becomes the greatest test we will ever endure.

How will we continue to pursue God even when becomes obvious that there is no perfect way to do this? Will we still seek God even when that perfect experience is illusive and undefined? Not looking for a perfect method is the only perfect method. The moment we discover that nothing actually “works” when it comes to how you journal, meditate, or pray defines our spiritual journey, and ultimately will be the most powerful turning point to knowing God.

Childlike Contribution

Imagine a 4 year old boy going to work with his daddy on a construction site. He puts on his tool belt with plastic tools, his toy hardhat and cowboy boots… he is ready to do the hard labor with his father… huge smile on his face as he gets into the truck. When his dad puts on sun glasses, he does too. When dad is hammering he lets his son hit a couple of times too. When dad is cutting wood, his son is on the side going through the motions of cutting wood with his pretend saw.

Is the boy actually contributing anything to get the job done? not at all… in fact he would probably he a hindrance to completing a project quickly. Is the boy proud to be working with daddy?

God needs me… and God doesn’t really need me at all. In fact, my ideas make things worse… and he allows that sometimes. The results are not his primary aim – the relationship is. God wants it to be a team effort between him and I… not because I have anything to bring to the table, but because i am his child, and he wants to involve me.

God Does Not Show Favoritism

This statement is found in the conclusion of the story about a man named Cornelius… a Roman Centurion, in the Italian Battalion, a Gentile, living in Samaria. Peter is a Jewish fisherman turned follower of Jesus, but is still struggling with the idea of a non-Jewish person being accepted by God. Then God shows up.

Peter is hungry, falls into a trance right before dinner, has a vision of all kinds of animals, and a voice tells him to kill and eat. I have totally had that same dream, but for Peter this was new. The animals were not to code according to Jewish food restrictions, and Peter being a good Jew refuses to do it. The voice in the dream tells him it’s cool… God has made it clean, it is no longer unholy.

Cornelius has a vision too. He was told to find a man he doesn’t know (named Peter), bring him home and listen to what he says.

It works. Peter agrees to visit Cornelius and tells him how to become a follower of Jesus, Cornelius goes all in, Peter understands the dream is about people not food, it’s a beautiful story… if you’re Cornelius. This is much more difficult for Peter. This experienced rocked his world.

In Acts 10:34 one of the first church leaders finally gets it. “It” still remains one of the great truths of following Jesus… Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

Every nation. Accepted. No favoritism. How true. Realize.