What would people do if God suddenly appeared? Now I’m not talking about a sudden appearance in the sky but rather an appearance in an individual’s life — a very personal encounter with God himself. What would that look like? How would you even recognize that it was God? Would this encounter change you? Do you think your life would be any different? 

There are many examples of God appearing in people’s lives throughout the Scriptures. One example is found in the life of Paul (Acts 9). If you’re familiar with the story, you’ll know that Paul had been traveling from town to town, arresting Christians. He was also one of the witnesses at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1). On one of these missions to arrest Christians, Paul was on his way to Damascus when he encountered Jesus Christ. This encounter caused him to fall to the ground, become blinded, and suddenly become very submissive to the presence of God. This encounter changed his life. The direction he was once headed in was immediately redirected. Instead of hunting down Christians, he now became one of them. Having met Christ, he became a believer. The story of his life is well documented in the many New Testament books attributed to him. 

I’m unsure how many have truly encountered God. Maybe we can recall a time when He felt very real, but for the most part, our lives haven’t experienced that. What do you think He desires? Do you believe He wants a deeper relationship with you? Personally, I do believe that. Every encounter with God transforms us. We are told we are created in His image, but sin has damaged that image. Still, it seems that the closer we draw to Him, the more we become like Him. I believe this happens because we recognize our sinful nature and go through a process of repentance. Each time we see ourselves in His light, we are cleansed by it. I challenge each of you to seek His presence and see what happens. Think about it.