Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Close Encounter

In the first chapter of Luke there is a story I read this morning that fascinated me. It is the story of a guy who going about his job had a close encounter with God that altered history. One of those encounters he would never forget and that impacted those around him and long after he lived.

Let me set the stage. An elderly man goes to work. He goes about his duties as he previously did. Only this time God sent a message to him. Not an ordinary message sent in an ordinary way. The message was extraordinary and got delivered through an angel. The prophesy proved so powerful this ordinary man wanted proof or a sign. The only sign given to him was his ability to speak was taken away for a time. You see Zechariah and his wife had no children and both were advanced in years. The message sent to Zechariah was the promise of a son. A prophet son.

Sure enough just three days after fulfilling his priestly duties Elizabeth conceived little John the Baptist.

Just imagine Zachariah having to hold that close encounter in because he could not speak to testify. It was not until John the Baptist was born that God allowed Zachariah to tell the whole story of what happened.

Most of our days are pretty ordinary. Common. Many seem to run together in old familiar routines. Just ordinary days. In the midst of those common days God shows up with close encounters. We never know when. We never the substance of such encounters. It is a reason to keep having daily devotions. It should motivate us to cultivate the habit of communing with Him. It might happen in a quiet time, listening to a song, in the middle of worship, listening to a sermon or Bible study. God might draw near at work or in the wee hours of the morning. If we desire we will have close encounters with the living God.

God loves to encounter His people. He loves to draw near to them. He desires to reveal His plans and purposes to those seeking and listening.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)
13  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

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