“you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know Me and believe Me and understand that I am He.  before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior.”  isaiah 43:10, 11

there was a storm at the ocean today.  while most others gathered their belongings, scattered, and fled the beach, tim and i sat right through it.  listened to the thunder, watched the lightening, fixed our eyes on the angry wind and waves as they assaulted the shore.

for nine minutes.  then it was over.

it was over in nine minutes because that’s how long God told it to last.  because the wind and the waves obey Him.

as i marched toward the waters, God spoke several scriptures to my heart.

“the voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders.”  psalm 29:4

“where were you…when I said, “this far you may come, and no further; here is where your proud waves halt?”  job 38:11

“do you send lightning bolts on their way?  do they report to YOU and say, “here we are?”  job 38:35

“have you journeyed to the springs of the sea?  or walked the recesses of the deep?”  job 38:16

“the disciples were terrified and said, “Who is this?  even the wind and the waves obey Him.”   mark 4:41

as my steps led me into the waters,  i spoke out a scripture with each one, celebrating the greatness, the awesomeness, the power of God.  the God who created all this.  who sustains all this.  the God who wants to know me.  KNOW me.  know ME.

and i was reminded what it’s all about.  and what it’s NOT all about.

it’s not about rules.  it’s not about church.  it’s not about gifts.  it’s not about serving.  it’s not about giving.  it’s not even about evangelizing.  in fact, it’s not about DOING anything.  it’s not.

be upset if you like, but it’s not.

so what IS it about?  God says it’s about knowing Him.  and believing Him.  notice it doesn’t say knowing about Him.   it says knowing HIM.  believing HIM.

a relationship.

apparently God desires relationship with everything He’s created.  all this talk in the scriptures about giving directions to wind and waves and lightning, telling deer when to calve, naming stars, giving the moon a place to hide at night.  not to mention the 9 months He spent knitting together each of us in our momma’s belly (psalm 139.)

as i marveled over these truths today, out in the waves, i wondered why i never heard this stuff in sunday school or church growing up.  i surely heard about the famous people in the bible and their stories of interacting with God, but i don’t remember anyone ever telling me much about the character of God Himself and how He wanted to know me and interact with me. it never occurred to me that i could have adventures with God, too.  stories of my own to tell.

i have to say i’m a little jealous of the winds, the waves, the lightning, the deer, the stars, and the moon.  they’re in constant contact with God their Creator.  they hear Him say when to go left, right,  stand still.

i want that.

and guess what?  i can have it.  yes, i can.

God says i can.

because God wants me to know Him.  and believe Him.  it’s what i was created for.

and so i’m going to.