THIS IS A REAL LIFE STORY…
Not too long ago I started working with quite a well-known South African rock band. My sister and I were asked by the band to join them on their tour as back up singers and a bit more.
For a recent show we had to meet the band at the head quarters of a big company (who was sponsors for the tour). We had to wait in the lobby as they practiced before we could join them on the road for a two-hour drive to the venue that we were going to be performing. All we wanted to do when we arrived at the company was to sit at the restaurant that was inside of the building but, unfortunately, there was no one to sign us in at the time, and we weren’t allowed in.
So we had to wait.
We waited until we were told that we could go to the other premises of the company and sit at their cafeteria without a sign in.
That was the wrong information, but, I decided that I was going to try anyway, and walked up to the receptionist.
“Hi ma’am, you’re probably not going to be able to help us, but we’re with that band that’s practicing in the dome across the road, and would just like to sit in your cafeteria until they pick us up for the show that we just flew in for…”
For some reason, this women was different to the other receptionists and went positively insane when she heard that we hadn’t been helped yet, flittering and fluttering, mumbling loudly to herself:
“I can’t understand why someone hasn’t helped you yet….”
“You must be so tired…”
“Why would you say you know them if you didn’t…”
“Someone come and sort them out!” she said loudly, and called someone to escort us and take care of us for the duration of our stay there.
While it was the funniest situation, and I never like to name-drop unnecessarily – something in me really clicked!
WE WOULDN’T HAVE SAID THAT WE KNEW THE BAND UNLESS WE HAD A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. IMAGINE THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW THEM, AND SOMEONE TOOK US TO THEM TO TEST WHETHER WHAT WE WERE SAYING WAS TRUE OR NOT?
Talk about embarrassing!
… And yet so many of us saying, “Oh, ya… I know God…”
… But do we really? I know for one thing, that when the end comes, God isn’t going to be impressed with any of that fake association (read Matthew 7:21-23).
HOW TO “KNOW”?
Know – definition:
- Be acquainted with (a thing, place, person, etc.), as by sight, experience, or report;
- To understand from experience or attainment
(Dictionary.com)
In Hosea 10:12-13 (THE VOICE) it says the following,
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes, and showers his righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength…”
Hosea shows us that deception is rooted in self-reliance, and that knowing God, or anyone for that matter, is a process of actively seeking out to be acquainted with and experience Him. The verse above likens seeking to “sowing seed,” plowing/breaking up “unplowed ground” – WOW! That in itself speaks volumes, because how much work goes into plowing unplowed ground? It requires a certain amount of digging! Not to mention an investment of ones’ time. However, the harvest that one reaps from this is peace and trust in the character of the person!
Planetshakers recently released a song called, ‘I Know Who You Are!’ as a part of their Overflow (2016) record. What a bold statement of faith. Why would the songwriter name-drop if he or she didn’t have a real revelation of who God is? That’s right, he or she wouldn’t. But, because the songwriter has spent time getting to know God, they can call him out when times get tough, or when they are blocked out of situations where their blessing or relief might be just beyond the gate they’re locked out of!
Being able to say that you KNOW God will change your life, I can guarantee it! Tough times, poverty, sickness and lack all bow to the name of Jesus, and not self-reliance. There is no power in our own names. No reputation that you’ve built up for yourself on earth can open Heaven for you, but the name of Jesus can, and anyone who knows Him and calls upon his name will be saved! When you know God personally, you can name drop anytime!
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