This morning I was reading John 18 and came across a portion of Scripture I know I’ve read before, but never remembered this detail. It’s when Judas leads the chief priests and Pharisees to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest him.
Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”
They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am he.”
Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.”
They drew back and fell to the ground.
I have never noticed this significant detail, yet how poignant and revealing it is. Throughout the Bible when someone had a divine revelation their reaction was to fall to the ground. Jesus simply spoke the words that God had long ago identified himself with…I AM.
For some reason this detail struck a chord and my eyes began to water. It wasn’t that I too had just realized that Jesus was (and is) I AM WHO I AM, but the fullness of what He was doing here and getting ready to do…the humility that it is to give himself up, to forgo his rightful position and power, to be fully God and yet fully man willing and yielding yet still I AM.
How these men fell to worship him…I wonder how their stomachs turned as they were doing the bidding of their superiors and yet some part of them recognized Jesus as King?
For me, it is so easy to leave these precious moments unchanged. When God is opening up my heart and revealing himself to me I don’t always know what to do or how to react, but I know to meet with the King and leave unchanged is missing the point.
So I asked, what are you trying to say to me in this?
That I am still I AM, still worthy of worship and awe.
How do I leave this place changed?
Worship Me. Spend time praising and thinking of the things I’ve done.
I’m not very good at remembering the things God’s done for me. It’s been a learned response. Sad to say, but true.
But I felt that for the next week as a way to actively and purposefully worship and be in awe of God, I’m going to write down five things each day that praise and remember the goodness and greatness of our God.
Here’s my list for remembering and standing in awe today:
- You gave up the fullness of your position and humbled yourself to accept the mission of saving mankind.
- How you’ve woven the story of humanity to redemption from the very beginning, in every detail.
- How your forgiveness and grace is so precious and just looking into my son’s eyes reminds me that I have been forgiven much and cannot hold a grudge…just that softens my heart in remembrance.
- That you are our Kinsman-Redeemer and every person has a story of how you have worked or are leading them to redemption.
- You are so majestic and worthy of praise, but so humble. You are the fullness of all things, the Almighty, yet care enough to speak to me…build a relationship with me.
I’d encourage you to do this with me if you feel lead and share in the comments,
What are you remembering of the greatness and goodness of God today? How are you standing in awe?
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