Seeing JESUS Only!
If time travel were possible, it would be so easy to take you back there—to 2017 because I remember the exact details so well. The hour was early but not too early because the sun was up, shining through the kitchen window. That morning, my time was spent in my blue rocker, but on that day, my rocker was sitting near the front window. I remember looking outside; I remember the sights and sounds. I remember.
Spiritual markers are so important, so beautiful, so emotionally-charged, and so mystical. Truly, describing a time when God revealed Himself physically remains almost impossible, but I was there, I sensed His presence, I know the truth!
My husband was deployed to the Middle East, and his time away from home became longer because he sustained an injury.
I have often heard Biblical messages about “what God brings us to, He will take us through.”
- This is True!
- I know from personal experience.
I remain married because God did—take us through, even when the hardship, the separation, the stress, the injury, the everything seemed to struggle against our marriage.
BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL—ALL THE TIME!
Really, I need to shout this a second, maybe third time: GOD IS FAITHFUL—ALL THE TIME!
Prayer is a wonderful gift of God; it is a conversation, a listening, a communion between God and His child.
Dwight L. Moody once said: “The only way to trouble God is not to come [in prayer to Him] at all.” God is not troubled by our prayers, but by our lack. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a “model prayer,” a reminder of what we should pray for as we walk through our lives, and then a few verses later, Jesus tells us:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
(Matthew 7: 7 NASB 2020)
That day, I needed a miracle.
- I needed God to reveal Himself in a mighty way.
- I needed an answer—so badly—and I knew God would “show up” because His Word says He will.
On that morning, I remember reading my Bible, turning to the book of Matthew. Truly, I cannot recall what prompted me to turn to chapter 17, but as I sat there near the front window, seeing the sunlight, my heart felt anything but sunny. MY MARRIAGE WAS FALLING APART & I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO!
This was not our first deployment, but this one proved to be lasting much too long. Nothing within the structure of our home was broken; however, the very thing that held our home together seemed to be splintering out of control.
THAT’S WHEN GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO ME!
That’s when God reminded me to STOP looking at my situation & STOP looking at my marriage & STOP looking at the trouble & STOP looking at the people involved.
THAT’S WHEN GOD REMINDED ME TO KEEP MY EYES UPON JESUS!
As I said, I remember exactly where I was reading—Matthew 17: 1-8.
As soon as I silently read the Scripture passage, I felt the presence of God right there—with me—in my living room. Immediately, I sensed God.
- I cannot explain it.
- I cannot create the scene to reveal it.
- I can remember it—vividly well.
Spiritual markers are vitally important within our Christian walk. When we are given opportunities to experience a spiritual marker, we naturally hold them close, clinging to them, even as we walk forward in time, even as the calendar moves from 2017 to 2018 to . . . 2022. Even now, we still recall the way God showed up in our lives.
Thank YOU GOD!
Oh my, Thank YOU!
I have a mirror in my bedroom closet, and I wrote the words of the verse upon the top of the mirror.
I have marked this passage in every Bible that I have carried since that day, and in my newest Bible, verse eight is underlined and highlighted.
Today, I wish to type all eight. Please read with me this Scripture passage.
“Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shown like the sun, and His garments became as white as light [white as snow].
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!”
When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.
And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.”
(Matthew 17: 1-8 NASB 2020)
- I cannot explain it.
- I only remember it.
- I cannot create the scene to reveal it to another person.
- I can only remember it—vividly well—because I was there & I knew God was there, too, with me.
That day, I was so distraught, so afraid of losing my husband, and there in my distress, the voice of God spoke aloud to me as I sat there in my blue rocker, while I sat in my living room, there beside the front window—AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN THE SAME!
Life is so difficult.
We are so human.
We struggle so much.
Oftentimes, our troubles seem too large.
Oftentimes, we just wish to run away, but thank God we do not.
- Thank goodness, God holds us tightly!
- Thank goodness, God knows our pain!
- Thank goodness, God is never bothered when we call upon Him!
- Thank goodness, God remains!
Thank You—GOD!
I am not sure what has caused me to remember this particular memory, but I suspect it was the morning devotional writer’s words describing “mountaintop experiences.” That’s where I found myself that morning back in 2017—on the mountaintop with Jesus!
My marriage has survived through this, and even though there are still rocky moments, God takes me back to this Spiritual Marker, reminding me how HE was there in the struggle and how HE remains here, with us, holding us, allowing us to walk daily beside Him.
- Spiritual Markers are truly special moments.
- Spiritual Markers are precious memories.
- Spiritual Markers are gifts from Almighty God.
- Spiritual Markers are miraculous moments, opportunities to hear the voice of God.
I will go to my grave remembering that morning, that moment of time when God audibly spoke to my soul.
And just as the Bible records:
“When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.
And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.”
(Matthew 17: 6-8 NASB 2020)
- I know what I had been praying, asking God for, each day.
- I did not know other’s prayer requests.
- But I do remember needing Jesus so much that morning.
- But I do remember Jesus was there—with me; I knew I should not be afraid.
- But I do remember sensing no one present in my front living room—but Jesus!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
(Matthew 7: 7 NASB 2020)
Thank You, Jesus.