It is almost staple in superhero
movies that whenever the protagonists arrive to save the day, the crowd is
quick to catch on. They sing songs, shower praises and fervently broadcast their
powers and deeds. Yet very few know the person behind the gimmick.
In many biblical events too, God is
shown to have manifested His power and glory in very visible ways: Exodus 19:16-20, 1 Samuel 12:18,
1 Kings 18:38-39 and Acts
2:2-3 are just some of the leaves on the tree. He did it for the benefit
of the people, so that they may see and believe.
Yet when the Lord revealed
Himself to His prophets and friends, He often did so in a seemingly unassuming
manner. To Abraham God spoke to as a friend (James 2:23),
Samuel He called 3 times (1 Samuel 3:3-10), to
Elijah He came forth in a gentle breeze (1 Kings 19:11-13).
To me, these actions are quite
profound. It shows that the mark of intimacy is not so much by the outstanding
things a person shows us but by the deepest personal experiences he/she shares
with us. For a person who puts to display his/her talents
seeks to gain approval from others, but he/she who shares his/her innermost
thoughts and ideas seeks to share his/her life with the other.
This goes to show how blessed I
am, that God deemed me worthy that He had not to come in all of nature’s power
but in quiet revelation. That He has judged me close enough to not require marvels
to convince me to believe that He is God. I need not experience the Miracle of
the Sun, the Miracle of Lanciano or the weeping/bleeding Marian statues to prop
up my belief – all I need has already been given to me the moment my baptised
self felt the redeeming grace of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit into my
heart.
RFG always.
