Seeing Him Who is Unseen

Seeing Him Who is Unseen
(En Español)

There are times when, to lead us on into new authority and blessings, God must liberate us from the container of our previous experiences. Consider Elijah's encounter with the Most High on Mt Horeb. Three natural signs occurred. But the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire -- all of which were familiar symbols to Elijah. The Lord who caused these mighty manifestations was not in them.

For Elijah, mighty manifestations had been signs of God's approval. But something new was at hand that required a fresh submission to the living God. A double portion of power was coming! The distinguishing characteristic of this new anointing would not only be seen in supernatural manifestations but also in greater wisdom and compassion.

Earthquakes, fires, and storms -- the signs that accompanied Elijah -- are the signs of our times as well. But to receive the double portion, we must learn to recognize God's nearness when there are no "earthquakes" or "storms" to capture our attention. The Lord demands we enter a more refined relationship with Him, one that is based on His love and the whisper of His voice, not merely on spiritual phenomena or natural disasters.

After the last sign, there came "…a gentle blowing" (1 Kings 19:12). King James Version says, "a still small voice." In holy silence the presence of God was returning; in the center of the silence, the whisper of God's voice. Elijah "…wrapped his face in his mantle" (v. 13). Perhaps it was near this very site that Moses, five hundred years earlier, hid when the Lord passed by. Now it was Elijah's turn.

We too must learn to hear the voice of Him who rarely speaks audibly and observe the actions of Him who is otherwise invisible. Elijah would gain the courage to endure Jezebel's wrath the same way Moses faced the rage of Pharaoh: "He endured, as seeing Him who is unseen" (Heb. 11:27). We must learn to detect, without great signs, the still small voice of God.

The Lord will not fight for our attention; He must be sought. He will not startle us; He must be perceived. It took no special skill to "discern" the earthquake, the fire or the great storm. But to sense the holy quiet of God, our other activities must cease. In our world of great pressures and continual distractions, the attention of our hearts must rise to the invisible world of God's Spirit. We must learn to see Him who is unseen and hear Him who is rarely audible.

Oh Master, how easily I fall into dead religious habits and spiritual dullness. Lord, I long to know Your ways, to have eyes that really see and ears that clearly hear. Teach me, Lord Jesus, the intimacies of God. Remove the mystery surrounding Yourself that I might truly know You. Forgive me for looking for signs instead of listening for Your voice. Oh God, how I long to abide in Your glory. Restore to Your church the double portion You have promised, and guide us into the fullness of Your love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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The preceding teaching was adapted from a chapter in Pastor Frangipane's book, The Shelter of the Most High. This book can be ordered from Arrow Publications at www.arrowbookstore.com.