John 14:21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
As I shared my flying experience with others, I was very excited about what God clearly showed me that day. I was even willing to share my flesh response of disappointment that God didn't show up on my flight west. Various people responded by saying, "But God was always there." I knew, my flesh response was not theologically correct. I know that because in Hebrews 13:5 Jesus says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So was God there when I anxiously believed that I just simply could not get on that plane? Yes. Was God there when I was sitting in the airport anxiously awaiting my return flight? Yes. Was God more there when peace washed over me? NO.
However, there are definitely times in our lives when we are more aware of God's presence than others. Our verse today speaks of Jesus manifesting Himself to us. That implies there are times He does not manifest Himself. Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." According the Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary, "wait" means "to remain stationary in readiness or expectation, to look forward expectantly, to hold back expectantly, to remain temporarily neglected or unrealized." I am not suggesting that God temporarily neglects us but, to wait on the Lord implies that although God is already and always present He has not yet manifested Himself to us. When I say God showed up, I mean there was a time I did not sense His presence, and then there was a time I did.
If you note from John 14:21, there are some conditions to Jesus manifesting Himself to us. We must have and keep His commandments; and we must love Him. God's promise to us is if we do these things, Jesus will manifest Himself to us. He will show up.
Diane
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