Every so often, my mind is pulled back to the story Jacob running away from his brother, Esau. Jacob is afraid that he’s going to be killed, and so he runs away to his uncle. On the way, he stopped to rest. While asleep, he dreams of God, of a ladder connecting heaven and earth with angels ascending and descending. When he wakes, he says to himself, “God was here, and I wasn’t aware,” (Gen 28:16).
Jacob was so focused on escaping that he missed the One who could save him.
Hundreds of years later, Jesusu is meeting some of His first disciples. He prophesies over one of them, telling him things that Jesus shouldn’t be able to know, and this guy is amazed by the power that Jesus displayed.
In response, Jesus says, “Seriously, I’m telling you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)
Jesus was claiming to be the ladder that bridges heaven and earth. He was claiming to be the Way to God, to be the manifestation, the proof that God was there.
And the disciples weren’t aware.
Are we any better? Through the Holy Spirit, God is always here, always with us, always waiting for us to recognize Him.
I’m not going to continue this post for another couple hundred words by telling three ways to find God. I’m just going to end with this: you don’t need to find Him. He’s right there. Just talk to Him. Ask Him to help you see, to be aware. Tell Him your fears and failings, and ask Him to be your strength. He will answer. He is there, and He always will be.