God Moves Among Us
Do you really believe the four words in this title? Do you really think God moves among us?
I was reading recently of a situation where a “worship leader,” whomever that may be, said to the assembled group, “God is in the house.” And, also rephrased, “God is moving among us.” It was as if there was some feeling of His presence or some acknowledgment or signal from Him that He had finally made it. Yet, I wonder if God could be moving among us even if we do not feel it?
Could it be that we put our faith more in feelings of being connected to God rather than His simple presence? And, if we get the “feeling” that “God is in the house today,” does that mean He wasn’t there before?
There are people who actually pray that God will show up at an assembly and move among the people in a mighty way. What are we expecting of God anyway? Isn’t the church, the Body of Christ, His house, the “pillar and ground of the truth?” So, does He meet us there or do we meet Him there? Or, is there a “there”?
Is the church located somewhere at some specific address? Must we say that God lives at 3401 North Market Street? Is God so limited that we must go and visit Him at some temple or some church assembly building? Must we see some great thing to reassure us that God is moving among us? If so, what should that great thing be?
Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea. It was pretty evident that God had moved among Israel. He gave them manna from heaven and water to drink on their journey. Had God moved among them? But, at the same time, in some freak circumstance, (said with tongue in cheek) Moses was fished out of the river by an one of the Israelites very captives and raised among “the enemy” in order to be the effective leader of the people to get them back home. This whole thing was obscure to God’s people living there in bondage… and yet, He moved in an awesomely powerful way.
Many believe that if you can get two or three together, God will show up. What if you came to church one day and you were the only one? Would God be there or not? Hum?
Jesus chided the Jews for always wanting a sign to prove something. “Do something,” they would insist. “Give us a sign.” Jesus was very emphatic in His response to that, telling them that they were a sinful and foolish generation for wanting such. Yet, people assemble together and want to watch God put on a show.
Must God show up in some grand gesture and make His presence known? Or, maybe we do not know what a heavenly grand gesture is. What about the poor girl who has been up all night with a sick, crying baby? Her body is riddled with fatigue but she is able to continue on anyway. Has God been there? What about the darling mother who stands weeping, heartbroken beside the casket of her son or daughter in heart-wrenching turmoil… yet she is able to continue on with her life and endure the horrendous loss? Did God show up here? Is it possible that while you are on a job you hate, among people who disgust you that you can continue on doing what God has gifted you to do… even with joy? Has God shown Himself in a mighty way?
Awe, the list could go on and on in everyday life and with every situation we face, if the eyes of our hearts are open, we will see God. God moves among us.
The very next time we are together in assembly, I can promise you that I will not be concerned as to whether or not God moves among us in a “powerful way” while we are together. But I would be very interested to know how He has been moving in your life on a daily basis. I do not need God to part the waters of the Red Sea for all of us to see. I do not need for Him to show us the sun going backwards for a day. I need to see myself and you recognizing the powerful way He is already moving in our lives. And, I need for us to ask ourselves a question. If we cannot acknowledge His movements in our everyday lives, what makes us think we might recognize what He might do among us on a given Sunday?
Praise Be His Mighty Name!