Seeing the Invisible
Introduction
An aged Christian friend commonly shares how he loves testimonies, for no one can argue with a personal experience. There is something to this claim, especially when backed, as it should always be, by the foundation of Scripture (Acts 1:8; Rev 19:10). This teaching is grounded in a personal experience, and leads through scripture to some embarrassing conclusions, first for the lost, but even more so to the Church. The story below is founded on my rather weakened ongoing physical condition.
Unsolicited Grace
Despite the disapproval of my wise wife, I had a plan to mow the lawns last Saturday. Between an early morning prayer meeting and a 9 am appointment I could do it. Then the heavenly Father took charge beyond my wisdom. The mower would not start, no matter what I tried. I was forced to retire back inside in time to counsel my friend about the things of God. After we had prayed, he said, out of the blue, “I have my work gear on and my mower etc. is in the car, is there anything you need help with. This was a sign of unasked for heavenly grace. Not wanting to be too dependent, I asked him to try to start my mower, despite considerable expertise with mowers it would not start. So off I went to the mower shop where they started it pretty much straight away. They did nothing we hadn’t tried already, but it purred into life. How come? The simple stunning answer that I was forced to accept is that sometimes God does things without consulting us. I am still coming to terms with the lesson, at first unappreciated, that the sovereign hand of Lord would not allow my mower to start because he was protecting my health. This great act of grace hand is one in love with the spontaneous miracle of the development of collateral circulation in my heart which has preserved my life (https://www.uptodate.com/contents/coronary-collateral-circulation/print).
Common Revelation
That “God speaks” is the basis of all biblical prophecy. Believing this, I have long been attracted to the theological principle that revelation is reconciliation. This is true of how I came to Christ. Alone in a uni library one day, full of dark misery (existential anguish), I resolved to read a Bible for answers about life. When next day a New Testament appeared on our kitchen table, I instinctively knew that reading it would change my life. God had become instantly real and concerned for me personally! From then on everything changed. Years later, I was taught this was an example of “general revelation”, of which Scripture abundantly testifies. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” (Ps 19:1-2). In other words, revelation is an extravagant and universal phenomenon. In preaching to pagan idolaters Paul says boldly, “he (the true God) did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”” (Acts 14:17 cf. 17:24ff; Matt 5:45). If God is continually speaking to all people everywhere, how, in a festive season of unremitting blessings, can people not turn to heaven and give thanks? How can Australians be so hard hearted when we have been given so much? The answer is found in an unpopular biblical teaching called “total inability” (https://www.gfcto.com/articles/the-doctrines-of-saving-grace/total-inability). A truth expounded at length in Romans.
Stone Dead
“For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images etc.” (Rom 1:18-22). In a world which everywhere speaks of the invisible Creator, all humans know He is There and He is Not Silent (Schaeffer). Our problem is not a lack of revelation, but that the greater the general revelation the more our hearts are hardened against the Word of the Lord. I will never forget the statement from an immigrant from Asia about WA, “It’s like the Garden of Eden here, no wonder the people don’t believe!” Without special saving grace no one will ever believe. Thankfully, the Lord is never passive. “When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48). What then has to happen in the Church so that the lost and blinded outside can see Jesus as God’s appointed Lord and Judge (Acts 17:31)?
The Invisible Appears
It took me some time to accept the message of the Spirit that the power of God stopped my mower starting, because I am prayerless and my faith is weak. Having turned to the Lord, I now glory in the truth that if our Father is interested in mere sparrows, he is concerned with the smallest issues in the life of each of us as his children. As Jesus said “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?9 And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt 10:29-31). The Scripture teaches that Moses “kept right on going (to deliver the Hebrews from Pharoah) because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible” (Heb 11:27cf. 11:5). I confess and admit I often sin by failing to keep my eyes on Jesus (Jude 5) in the smaller circumstances of life. Let’s look to Jesus for help.
Conclusion
Unlike us, Jesus saw the hand of his Father in “all things” on their way to reconciliation through his own blood (Col 1:20). This was a stance of pure, persistent, and perfect “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). The sinless Son saw reality through a lens of glory radiating from his timeless sacrifice (John 17:5; Rev 13:8) which had always brough glory, honour and power to the Father forever lighting up the universe. The holy prophet was privileged to see this and moved to confess, ““Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”” (Isa 6:3 cf. John 12:41). As we live humble lowly lives (Isa 66:2) the Spirit of God will be pleased to reveal more and more of God’s grace and glory in all things for us. We only have to hunger above all to be more and more like Jesus.