God Reveals Himself in the Resurrection

By Darrel Auvenshine

“…Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?...He said to her, ‘Mary’, she turned and said to Him, ‘Master’.”

John 20:11-18

I cannot get over the beautiful revelation; so personal and intimate. There is Mary Magdalene in the garden with the empty tomb. Everyone else had run away, but Mary is still there searching. She is looking with hope and deep expectancy. Christ was her life. He had cast 7 demons out of her and she had never been the same since meeting Jesus. Her whole life was centered around Jesus and now His body is gone.

She looks again, with hope of finding Him, though she had looked already. Then He spoke to her in a most intimate way. Jesus said, “Mary." And upon hearing Him speak her name, she turned and saw Him and with one word replied, “Master." How beautiful. And so we see God revealed in the resurrection. 

John 11:25 Jesus says, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.”  Death is swallowed up in victory. We must see the Lord, risen. 

How much importance do you place on the resurrection of Christ from the dead?

What difference does it make in your relationship with God, when you consider the resurrection?

God Reveals Himself on the Cross

By Darrel Auvenshine

“They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.”
Matthew 27:28

Could there be a more intimate place than that of the crucifixion? There the Son of God, revealed, Emmanuel God with Us, fulfilling the Father’s plan for redeeming mankind to Himself. There He is stripped of His clothes and a scarlet robe placed upon Him. God Himself was there hanging, suffering on the cross, taking upon Himself the punishment for us all. “No greater love has anyone than this, that he lay down his life…”

This old Hymn so beautifully communicates this revelation of God. There we look upon the Savior, completely vulnerable and seen and there He is dying for us.

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – by Isaac Watts

“When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God.

All the vain things that charm me most. I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet. Sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet? Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small.

Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Take time to read Matthew 27:11-66 and mediate on the intimate love of God revealed for you on the cross. 

God Reveals Himself in Relationship to the Son

By Darrel Auvenshine

“…glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You…”

John 17:1-6

This portion of Jesus’ prayer gives us a glimpse into the intimate relationship within the Trinity. Verse 3 says, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Verse 5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.”

I love my dad so much. It’s been over 9 years since he died and there is never a day that I don’t think of him. He wasn’t perfect, but he was a good dad. Forever I am his son. Nothing can change that and in many ways the substance of my dad is revealed in his children. I find myself doing things and saying things very similar to dad. My expressions are similar and the older I get the more I resemble his appearance.

God the Father revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. When we wonder about God; His character, His ways, we have only to look at Jesus. 

How would you describe God the Father?

How would you describe Jesus?

How has the revelation of God in Jesus affected your view of the Father? 

Do you find that you relate more intimately with the Father or with Jesus?

God Reveals Himself to His Disciples

By Darrel Auvenshine

“…He loved them to the end.” (v.1b)

John 13:1-17

Perhaps one of the clearest displays of intimacy between God and His followers is found in John 13 when Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. An often overlooked portion of this passage gives insight to the depth of love with which Jesus cared for those closest to Him on earth. When Jesus “knew that the time had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” In verses 4 and 5 we see a most beautiful revelation of Jesus. He “got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking the towel, He girded Himself.” Here we see Jesus becoming vulnerable before His own and taking the position of servant.” Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

All of this was just too much for Simon Peter. He refused that Jesus should wash his feet, but Jesus insisted: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” At that moment Peter was all in. His response says it all: “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Wash all of me. The revelation of Christ to Peter was overwhelming and Peter responded with expectancy and hope. He could not be satisfied with only part, he wanted all.

When you read, “He loved them to the end,” what is your response?

Does the intimacy seen in this passage make you uncomfortable?

In light of the cleanses power of the shed blood of Jesus, would you say with Peter, “wash all of me” ?

God Reveals Himself to the Samaritan Woman

By Darrel Auvenshine

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you – I am He.’”

John 4:26

How wonderful to hear those words again from Jesus. “I am He.” Talk about revelation. This Samaritan Woman encountered Jesus that day. She was looking. She even said, “I know that Messiah is coming." Jesus was right there and she was missing Him. But then the revelation came. 

Sometimes we deny that God would reveal Himself to us because of the things we have done. It may be because of who we associate with, or because our lives have become a mess. But God is ready to reveal Himself to us. What we are looking for and trusting is that somehow God will make Himself known to us, in spite of ourselves.

There really is just one truth here; Jesus said, “I am He.”

What was so significant about Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman?

Do you view yourself like the woman in this story?

Have you heard Him say, “I am He”?

The Father’s Heart is to Be Found

By Darrel Auvenshine 

“…if you seek Him, He will be found by you.”

1 Chronicles 28:9

When I was a child, my dad used to love playing hide and seek with us. We would hide and dad would take His time finding us, although he was fully aware most of the time of our hiding places. When dad would hide, he was always certain to hide in the most obvious places. He hid so that we would easily find him. We were delighted to find dad and he in turn was delighted to watch the look on our face when we found him.

The Father’s heart is to be found. He delights in revealing Himself to His children. Just like my dad would hide with part of his leg or arm exposed, making it easy for us to find him, our heavenly Father reveals Himself and the result is joy. 

Was your earthly father open and able to reveal aspects of himself to you, or was he difficult to know?

Think of a time when you earnestly searched for God. How did God reveal Himself to you?

Placing Our Trust Elsewhere

By Darrel Auvenshine

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Psalm 20:7 

We look for security in many places: relationships, possessions, employment, money. But all of those can be lost in a moment. We can easily become enthralled with the idea of another man meeting our needs. Our pursuit of security or safety often drives us to the mindless search for meaning and significance in relationship with another man.

I recall the days when I was in my teens and early 20’s. I was constantly pursuing relationship with men who I believed would surely fulfill me and affirm me. Many times I placed my trust in a sexual encounter, somehow believing that if I could just have sex with another man I would find fulfillment. I was trusting the experience to satisfy what ultimately only God can satisfy.

Where are you placing your trust today?

How can you begin to actively learn to trust the One who is everything?