When God Shows Up

The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come.” Mal 3:1 NKJV




Sometimes God shows up dramatically, like an unexpected check in the mail, a door opening, or protection in a situation that would otherwise destroy you (See Ps 91:11). Other times God shows up quietly, replacing your anxiety with assurance, whispering, “Fear not…I am with you” (Isa 41:10 NKJV). And when those around you say, “You’re different today, what’s changed?” you reply, “I don’t know, I just have peace about it.” That’s because “The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come.” Here are two Bible stories that illustrate this:



The first story demonstrates how God intervenes when you are misunderstood and mistreated. “After they had been severely flogged…About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns…Suddenly…all the prison doors flew open” (Ac 16:23-26 NIV). Midnight prayers and songs of praise help you see beyond the problem to God, the great problem-solver. By taking the focus off yourself and putting it on Him, your outlook begins to change. The second story demonstrates how God intervenes when you are overwhelmed by the sheer size of the challenge. Faced with leading two million Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses prays, “Show me now Your way” (Ex 33:13 NKJV). God replies, “Here is a place by Me…I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand” (vv. 21-22 NKJV). When God tells you, “Here is a place by Me,” get into it and stay there! Even though you can’t see Him clearly, you’ll feel His presence, experience His goodness, and know that everything is going to be okay.