Seeing The Light On That Road To Damascus

~Johnny and Jerry saw the light~

12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4: 12 - 16 NKJV

I ran across a post from Wayne Jacobsen this week about the story of a man by the name of Andrew.  Apparently Andrew was an agnostic, but had eventually opened himself up enough to see the true love which God had for him.  Now, I hear stories all the time of those who have denied Gods existance most of their lives yet come to the realization that He does exist at some point.  My first question would be, what took them so long?  Of course, having been raised in the christian faith, I guess I would be a tad bit biased in my opinions on God and religion.  Not only have I seen Gods blessings in my own life, but His undeniable presence when things were not going so well at all.  Now, Dennis would tell me that He never left me, I just needed to "see" Him in me {Galations 2:20}.  I won't disagree with this at all.  For I believe in the revelation unto the apostle Paul.  The revelation that not only has our old sin nature been put to death with Christ Jesus on the cross {Romans 6: 6-11}, but that in time Jesus was revealed in Paul that he might teach Him to the nations {Galations 1: 15-16}.  Remember also that Saul, who later became known as Paul, was a man steeped in the traditions of the Jewish faith in which he was raised.  In fact, it is written that Saul himself "Made havoc" against the early church of the followers of Jesus {Acts 8:3}.  Not only that, we are told also that Saul "Breathed threats against those early followers of Jesus up until the moment of his famous conversion on that road to Damascus {Acts 9:1}.  One of the most feared persecutors of that early church was brought to his knees by He he had been persecuting.  As I write this post I listen off and on to a Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis duet of the old hymm by Hank Williams "I saw the light."  To me the words of this old classic ring so true for this topic.

I wandered so aimless life filled with sin
I wouldn't let my dear savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
PRAISE THE LORD, I saw the light!
~I Saw The Light Hank Williams~

When I hear of someone who comes to the reaalization of the very existance of our heavenly Father, I am grateful for His revelation, but wonder what it was that led them to that point.  Like I said, having been raised in a christian home, it was almost a no brainer that I would see the reality of God.  Then I think about it and realize...that this was Sauls path as well.  So, just when was it that Christ was revealed in me?  When did I truly come to know God?  Our paths are not that different, when it pleases God, He reveals His Son in those who have accepted Him.  I have written before that I did not come to the full realization of Christ Jesus in me until I met Dennis and began learning from him.  I'm guessing that this was my own Damascus road moment.  Sure, I knew there was a God, but the truth of Jesus in me had yet to be revealed.  I'm thinking that Waynes friend Andrew came to that very same experience.  I can honestly now say that there is definately a difference between knowing that God exists and realizing that He exists in you.  Once we He is revealed in us, then all the sermons, teachings and podcasts urging us to "Be more like Jesus" all go out the window.  How much more can we be like Christ if He is in us?  How much closer to Jesus can we get?  Jesus is not just in heaven looking down upon us, but trudging each and every day with us through this thing we call life.  When it pleases God to reveal Himself in us, we can truly enjoy once again our relationship with Him.

11But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.
Acts 1: 11 - 16 NKJV

~Scott~