Underestimating God

“Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there - he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their stubbornness.” (Mark 6:5-6 MSG)

Mrs. Davis was my 10th grade biology teacher. She was a short, grey-haired, no-nonsense lady. She didn’t have any ‘flare’ like some of the other teachers. Most of the students ignored her droning voice. I didn’t think I was going to get much out of her class either. It took me half a school year to realize that I had severely underestimated Mrs. Davis. She was smart, tough, and had a keen sense of what each student needed. She pushed me hard. At first, I felt she was being unfair and demanding. So I tried to avoid her as much as possible, leaving as soon as the class ended so that she couldn’t ask me to do anything extra. By the second semester, I started appreciating what she was doing. She was going the extra mile to be a good teacher to me; she was speaking into my life and holding me accountable. Once my perspective changed, I was more open to her instruction and advice. Mrs. Davis was an extraordinary teacher. Yet, I almost missed out on what she had to offer because of her unassuming appearance and mannerisms.

Similarly, we often overlook or underestimate Jesus. We fail to honor Him. We look elsewhere for answers. Since we aren’t expecting God to show up, we miss the signs of His glory.  When God speaks, we fail to pay attention. We ignore His nudges. We avoid being alone with Him. We close ourselves off from His light and wisdom. We shut the door to grace.

When we honor God, when we acknowledge His capability, we start opening ourselves up. We let go of our concerns as we recognize that God is in control. His power becomes accessible. Every time we surrender another area of our lives, it is like opening yet another window to let light and wisdom in. God’s Spirit moves in and saturates the space. The more we yield, the more powerful God’s presence becomes.

Lord, when we honor You and surrender to You, Your power becomes more accessible. May we open ourselves up so that your light, strength, and wisdom can come through.