What if God Showed Up?

Isaiah 64: 1-5 – “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.”

Isaiah is sick and tired of the same old hypocrisy and fake religion he sees in God’s people, so he cries out to God to manifest a special revelation of Himself to the people. Isaiah doesn’t think that his preaching alone can change the hearts of his listeners. He knows that if these complacent people, and even God’s adversaries, could see God that it would change their lives. So, he asks God to reveal Himself to them in a way that would transformation their hearts.

It struck me that we need that today. There is so much complacency. So much ‘business as usual’ when it comes to our response to God. So much disrespect and disregarding God from His adversaries. Wouldn’t it be awesome if God, in His power and might, revealed Himself again to us? I think so. I’ve taken Isaiah’s example and started praying for that. Maybe you would join me.

Think about what that would mean. If you as a follower of Jesus suddenly saw some manifestation of Jesus in your daily life, how would that affect you? How would that affect your choices and decisions…what spiritual energy would that give you to serve God…how would that affect the purpose and direction of your life…how would that influence your words, actions, and attitudes?

How would it affect God’s adversaries if they suddenly saw a manifestation of Christ before them? WOW! ‘Oh that God would rend the heavens and come down.’

But then, in the same passage, Isaiah gives us some truth about God and reveals the part we are to play in God’s fresh revelation. He says in the last part of verse 4 and 5 that it is God’s nature to act for those who wait for Him, and to meet with the person who joyfully works righteousness and who remembers God in His ways. Isaiah isn’t saying that God might do this. He’s saying that it is God’s NATURE to respond to us!

Isaiah is saying God will act for us, meet with us, and reveal Himself, BUT we have a part to play.

“God acts for those who wait for Him.” To ‘wait’ for God means we hope in Him. It means that when we ask God to intervene in our life’s situations we confidently expect and anticipate that our God will show up. We don’t know how or when, but, in faith, KNOW He’s coming and He will act.

I think that’s what James is talking about in James 2:17 and 26, when he says ‘faith without works is dead.’ He’s not talking about working your way to heaven. James is saying the same thing Isaiah is telling us. For our faith to be genuine and the kind of faith God wants, then it must motivate a response on our part. “The demons believe” but that kind of empty belief is worthless. God wants a faith in us that responds to what we believe.

In the passage in Isaiah, our faith response is to ask God to involve Himself in our lives, then, because we have true faith in God, we settle our hearts and confidently wait for His answer, knowing that HE WILL ANSWER US.

Then Isaiah says that God WILL MEET the person who joyfully works righteousness and who remembers that God is faithful, dependable, and we can absolutely count on Him. When God puts something in front of you that you know would really please Him for you to do it, then realize Who you are doing it for, and do it with joy!

When you ask God for something, think about WHO you are asking for help, and settle it in your mind that God loves you, that He is faithful, and that He will answer you. It’s His nature!

Isaiah seems to indicate that God is waiting for our faithful response to Him to show Himself to us and to reveal Himself through our lives. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

Let’s give it a try. What have we got to lose?