God reveals Godself when we pay attention

Jesus in Matthew chapter 10 commissioned his disciples for mission and ministry. After this Johns disciples enquired if he was the messiah. He tells them observe what is happening and reflect on it. He then says to the crowd around him that they should do the same. Using various places Jesus points out their flaws. I believe he recognizes that for the most part, persons were not open to what was happening. They placed whatever was happening within the context of their own understanding, instead of looking from God's point of view . With that, I believe He says, "you know what, let me just leave this with God. He does so through the prayer, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to the children. Father, for such was your gracious will"

In this prayer He thanks God for revealing Godself to the children. The Greek word for children also means the unlearnt and unskilled. When it comes to God's word we are all unlearnt and unskilled. We only know about God what God reveals to us. We only see it if we pay attention. We must be willing to admit our limitations and seek with a heart open to wonder.

Jesus says we have to pay attention to him. We have to walk in his ways to understand. We do so with the openness and curiosity. We come as someone who knows that they do not know and so come to learn in order to have a better understanding. we consistently say, "Oh that's how it is". It's seeing God in everything. It struck me that if our approach is to be one of constant openness, to be able understand God and to see God.

When we say God is unchanging; that God is God, and is always the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, we are referring to God's faithfulness. Because God does not always show Gods faithfulness in the same way and God can change how God does things. God’s faithfulness may be manifested differently at different times and to each of us differently. If we look at Moses as an example of God revealing Godself. We see that God reveals Godself to Moses four times in four different ways.

1 God being revealed in the burning bush

2. In delivering the 10 commandments

3 When Moses saw God's back

4. In exodus 33:11 when God spoke to Moses face to face as a friend.

In Matthew 11:27 Jesus says "No one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son. Jesus says we must pay attention to him as he is the way that will help us understand the God. He says the same thing in John - "I am the way, the truth and life".

In verse 26 Jesus describes revealing Godself to the children who represent all of us who are unwise including the uninitiated, the persons who have not yet formed an opinion about God. God's graciousness always include others, showing them Godself. Those among us who are wise and intelligent, have already figured out where God is in all of this.

Friends, we do not get a true understanding of God through human wisdom or our preconceived notion. We get it through an attitude of learning and attentiveness to Jesus, through an openness to the possibilities that exist and not the limitedness of our circumstances. We are challenged therefore to be always open, never deciding before hand what will happen or why something occurred. We must challenge ourselves to wait while seeking to see God’s revelation. Amen

Benediction

May the God who reveals the Divine self in wonder and mystery, who speaks to us in the fire, the quiet, and the unexpected, grant us hearts that are ever open.

May you go forth in the steadfast assurance of God’s faithfulness, not confined to what has been, but expectant for what may be.

May you walk in humility and holy curiosity, attentive to the teachings of Jesus, ready to encounter the sacred in each moment.

And may the grace, peace, and courage of the Living God guide you as you seek, as you wait, and as you welcome new glimpses of the Divine.

Amen.