I’ve had that title in my head for a long time because I thought it may get you here; reading or listening to this blog. One of the many incredible blessings of seeking God through His Word is something called, “revelation.” The Bible can be read by anyone and understood on a surface level. However, God Himself will do something for each of us when He decides to. We cannot make this happen, but we can position ourselves to be ready to receive it. Paul prayed this prayer and it is a prayer that I have prayed often for myself.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ephesians 1:17
Answers to prayers are exhilarating, but a revelation from God about Himself (delivered to our minds) is what makes life worth living. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation helps us know our Father better. He is a mystery to us. We judge Him by our earthly parents, and we judge Him by our own hearts. The only way we will ever know Him, trust Him, or love Him is if He is revealed to us.
A revelation is exactly what it says; a revealing. It is not something new. It is an uncovering of something that is already there. Every single word written in the Bible makes perfect sense to one person; God. There are no mysteries to Him. Not so with us. God has to take those written words and uncover them to our minds.
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24:45
The Bible is a door we walk through to fellowship and discover God. If we are not devouring our Bible with hungry, humble, and open hearts, our lives are meaningless and empty. Our emptiness, in turn, causes our lives to be full of envy. We are either discovering God on a daily basis or we are trying to “one up” our neighbors (even in our Christian walk).
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4
The religious leaders in Jesus’ day memorized scripture, wore it on their wrists and foreheads, and wrote it on their walls. Yet, when The Word (Jesus) showed up in their midst, they hated Him and wanted Him dead. Why? They memorized the Word. They did not meditate on the Word. They checked off the box so people would be impressed with their knowledge. It was all about them. Quoting scripture from memory does not impress me. Having a human walk in a room and feeling the weight of God’s glory in their life impresses me. I have met very few of these people.
I had a guest in my house once whose name was Elizabeth Hanford. She wrote a little book called, “Me? Obey Him?” As I tried to tell her how much her little book changed my life, she gently said, “Let’s talk about something else,” and she meant it. My children were young when she spent the evening with us and did not like to hang out with strangers (they were painfully shy). Because of God’s presence in her life, they sat with her. Andrew even played a song on his guitar because she asked him to (something he would rarely do). She was so free and joyful. She didn’t care one thing about herself, she was only interested in us.
As a group of women from my church had breakfast with her the next day, she did a question and answer session. As she answered questions, I began to cry. There was nothing profound about her, but the kindness and gentleness of a human who had walked with God for decades was almost more than I could take. She seemed to me to be someone who was a true image-bearer of God. She didn’t make anyone feel stupid or intimidated. She made us all feel loved and valued. I’ve never forgotten it.
Mrs. Hanford’s life epitomized what God likes to eat.
Her life was a sacrifice to God. She was totally consumed by God, His Word, and His will. She had obviously given up all her rights and gotten on an altar as a living sacrifice.
There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.
~Oswald Chambers
In the Old Testament, the people made offerings to God. I noticed at times they were called, “God’s food.” This is where I felt like God gave me a revelation (I always say “felt like” in case I’m delusional).
“Give these instructions to the people of Israel: The offerings you present as special gifts are a pleasing aroma to me; they are my food.”
Numbers 28:2a
Food in this scripture is metaphorical, of course. God knows food is what satisfies us and keeps us alive. He used something which we can relate to and see, to explain something deeply spiritual that we cannot see.
When God said our offerings are His food, it meant when they presented offerings to God it satisfied Him and kept the relationship alive. When people came to God and offered what He asked, it was a choice. It meant they wanted Him enough to make the sacrifice. That’s all God really wants from us. Our will given over to Him, satisfies Him like nothing else. No one gives their will to someone they don’t trust. “Not my will, but your will be done'” is the ultimate thing we can say to God.
The physical act of bringing to God what He asked was so much more than the killing, offering, and burning of an animal. A real transaction happened that the people could not see. Their loving Father was waiting for them to give themselves to Him through the offering, so He could reciprocate and give Himself to them. They would bring a lamb in the morning and one at twilight. God didn’t want a single day in the lives of the people to pass without this intimate act of offering food to God. God was letting His people know how much their relationship meant to Him. It was His food. Miracle of miracles; we can be a part of satisfying God.
God’s food=our will given to Him
God became vulnerable when He made human beings much like we become vulnerable when we have children. To bring a child into the world means our hearts can be shattered. They may die. They may grow up and reject us. However, the risk is worth it. Nothing compares to the joy of having children. When they grow up and want a relationship with us, it is one of the most satisfying gifts on the planet.
This takes me to the next part of that revelation.
Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34)
When Jesus said His food was to do God’s will, it meant that God’s will was what satisfied and sustained Him. God never meant for our relationship to be one-sided. It is just that…a relationship.
Relationship–the way in which two or more people are connected, or the state of being connected.
When God made us, He made us in His image. His very image is connection; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He doesn’t exist without intimacy in His very Being. He created us in such a way that we cannot be satisfied without being connected to Him.
Jesus (the perfect human being) said what He wanted and what satisfied His soul more than any other thing was God’s will. Oh, if we could only understand the joy of knowing and doing the will of God, everyone would do it and crave it. The reason we are so screwed up is because we have no idea what we were created to be.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29
If our souls are not at rest, there is only one reason; we are not given completely over to God’s will. When we look at Jesus’ life, it is the life we are to live. His satisfaction (food) came from not doing His own will (yes, He had his own will), but doing His Father’s will.
Our food=God’s will given to us
When we walk in God’s will and not our own, our satisfaction is deep. Our joy is overflowing; sacrifice, serving, and suffering begin to energize us.
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer….
Isaiah 53:10a
How could crushing and suffering be satisfying? Because Jesus came to do and finish the will of God. His only desire was to please the Father. The prosperity gospel has made us a bunch of pansies. When I started to study the Bible, I saw that suffering was a major part of experiencing the glory of God. Call me crazy, but if suffering is the will of God and allows me to live in His glory, then let me suffer.
I want His will to be my food.
I want my will given over to Him to be His food.
Bottom line:
His will=my food
My will=His food
We can both satisfy God and be satisfied by God, starting today. There is only one way and it is totally up to us.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1
Make me Your vessel, make me an offering,
Make me whatever You want me to be
~New Wine
~Hillsong Worship
