Have you noticed that almost anytime someone comes into direct contact with God in the Bible, they are called to either believe or do something in response? God’s interactions with the first man, Adam, puts him under orders to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
Peter, James, and John, have that direct encounter with God on the so-called “Mount of Transfiguration”, and “A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:35)
The Apostle John meets God in the overwhelming presence of Jesus in the book of Revelation. He writes, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” (Revelation 1:17-19 (NIV))
If we started looking around I think we’d find many more examples. These tell us something about what to expect when we seek God with our whole heart. Like he promised, we will find him, but the experience will be more than something unspeakably remarkable. From within that encounter will come an assignment of some kind. Either he’ll call us to believe something or do something that will prove essential to all that he wants to do in us and through us. We would do well to expect that and be ready for it.
