A Way Maker, in the words of Sinach.
A Good Good Father - Housefires, I think that's a match.
Abba (Father); I belong to You, onto Jonathan Helser's words I can easily latch.
So I can answer Jesus' first question 'Who do people say that Son of Man is?' (Matthew 16:13)
But what good is it if my answer is dependent upon what others say. Despite the truth that God is indeed a Way Maker, a Good Good Father and Abba (Father), my knowledge of God has to come from my own experience, my own revelation, my own sense of reality.
Jesus proceeds to ask a second question: 'But, who do you say that I am?' (Matthew 16:15)
This is such a direct question, which thus requires a direct response. Such can only be answered if we truly know who God is for ourselves. This requires a personal relationship with Him, in which He will reveal attributes of Himself to us personally.
The differentiation in the questions asked by Jesus, is the that first is based upon knowledge gathered from other people's response, whereas the second is based not only of the knowledge of who God is, but personal experience too.
Given the response that the disciples gave about who people say Jesus is, it is so important to have a personal understanding of who Jesus is. If the disciples solely based their knowledge of Jesus upon other's, He would purely be known as a prophet alone - John the Baptist, Elijah or Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14). This would completely overshadow who Jesus really is, as Simon Peter replied 'the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16:16) This highlights the importance of seeking to answer that question for ourselves 'But who do you say that I am'?
We are encouraged that if we seek God wholeheartedly, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
Personally, I felt myself being readily able to answer Jesus' first question, but seemingly more hesitant to answer His second. This is purely because I had accumulated so much knowledge of who people declare Jesus to be through testimonies etc. but the truth is, I needed/need my own personal answer to that second question.
I had come to a place where I had head knowledge of Jesus, but needed to apply that knowledge to my life, so it moves from mere knowledge to experience too. I know this is a matter of trust and faith and I pray that I will trust God endlessly and consistently and believe in the promise of His Word wholeheartedly.
For example, I know that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4); that His grace is sufficient and that His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)...But my flesh relies on my own limitations which in turn limits God because my perspective of who God is, is based upon what I believe I can/can't do in my own strength. Yet God does not call us in our own strength as His word says that He who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).The key here is that He (God) will complete it, not me/myself in my own strength. The thing is, the problem isn't whether I believe God is able to do this, it's more-so about trusting God to do a personal work in me. Sometimes... A lot of the time, we just have to encourage ourselves in the Lord, according to His word and speak it out and proclaim it.
My Prayer:
Lord, I love you. I want more of You and I want to reach new heights with you and I recognise that that is only possible if I trust who You are and the work that You are faithful to complete in me. Help me to stop looking at my own limitations, but to look to You in Your boundless and infinite power. You are able to do great and mighty things in me and I thank You in advance for what You will do through me for Your glory.
In Jesus' mighty name,
Amen.
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