What Would You Do If He Walked Into The Room?

Sometimes, it’s not what it looks like.

It first occurred back around the year AD 30. Jesus had be been dead for a few days. Hope was lost. Fear was setting in. This isn’t what the disciples signed up for. They didn’t leave their families and everything they knew only to sit back and watch their leader get humiliated and murdered by the people He came to save.

What came packaged as defeat, was in reality victory. What looked like shame and humiliation, brought me access to the Father. If I was preaching, I’d tell you to tap your neighbor and tell them, “sometimes, it’s not what it looks like.” What God intends to bring you life, Satan will make it appear as if it could bring you harm. The Resurrected King just appeared into the room where the disciples were and they looked at Him as if He were a ghost (Luke 24:37). He came to bring peace, but their fear crippled them.

I Can Only Imagine

So the question is, what would you do? What would you do if He walked into the room? Really, though. Stop whatever you’re doing right now and just meditate on that question. What would you do if He walked into the room? As I contemplate the answer to this question myself, my response sounds quite similar to a lyric once penned by Bart Millard of MercyMe. Would I stand before Him? Or would I fall to my knees? Would I sing? Would I say something? Would I even be able to speak at all? Yeah, I can only imagine.

As I sit writing this blog, the world has been shook by the effects of a serious virus. Plans made so securely and confidently just a few short months ago, are now crumbling. Seniors losing their proms and graduation experiences. Spring breaks and summer vacations have been canceled as amusement parks and destinations around the globe have shut down. Nonessential businesses are closed with many cities and counties sheltering in place. Unless you’re living under a rock or are reading this 40 years later, you already know all this.

My family has been incredibly blessed in that none of us have even showed symptoms in this season much less become diagnosed with COVID-19. My griefs are few, but one has been a source of accentuation: My fiancé and I’s wedding. Originally slated for Friday, May 29th, all the stars were lining up as they say. We had a location, Meg found a dress, I picked out suits, she found dresses, we chose colors, food for the reception. We even booked our Disneyland honeymoon! We couldn’t wait.

We had to move it to July 17th. No telling yet what a wedding (if it’ll even be allowed) will look like amidst the changing regulations. Will our guests sit six feet apart? Can we have dancing? Pictures? A wedding party? We were able to move the honeymoon, but unless a vaccine is created in the next 24 hours, I don’t see Disneyland opening her gates any time soon much less by July 17th.

I must emphasize, we are so blessed. We’ve had friends lose loved ones in this season, lose jobs, fear of losing their homes. We lost a wedding date. My married friends tell me it won’t matter. I’m reminded of when 15 year old me was told by adults that what I go through now won’t matter in ten years and, to their credit, I can’t remember who I took to Homecoming sophomore year, but in 2004, it was a big deal.

In 2020, our wedding is a big deal. It isn’t how we imagined it would be coming together. This spring isn’t how I imagined it would go. Megan had multiple showers planned, I was working in construction, Megan was managing a clothing store, we saw movies at least once a week. Now, we spend our days building Legos, Netflix and Disney+ binging, and singing together. We’ve even succumbed to playing Minecraft. I’m having conversations with my friends’ kids about how to build a roller coaster or how to kill an Ender Dragon. This is NOT what I imagined!

More Than All We Ask Or Imagine

Remember, it’s not what it looks like. If Christ’s appearance came the way they imagined, would He have appeared at all? Thomas imagined Him scarred and bruised, but Jesus could’ve appeared whole again when He arose. The disciples saw Him heal the sick before; He even raised the dead! They had seen Lazarus, who was dead for days, suddenly now a man not dead, but wrapped in what Jesus called, “dead men’s clothes.” Lazarus was no zombie when Jesus called Him out of the tomb. He was whole again.

Thomas wanted to see the scars. (John 20:24-29) Now for some reason, Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus first appeared. Ain’t it something on the things you miss out on when you aren’t with God’s people? Different blog or sermon for a different day. Anyway, when the disciples told Thomas about Jesus’ resurrection, he said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” He was so set on what the presence of Jesus would look like, he was so convinced about what he imagined He’d look like, he missed the blessing of not seeing and yet believing. Sometimes, we wait on a word from God, a sign, or a blessing – And when that package doesn’t arrive the way we thought, we want to, “return to sender.”

My engagement did not come wrapped with a bow, but instead felt like the box in the beginning of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. When things don’t go the way we imagined, it’s a time for God’s power, for God’s glory to show up and show out. Thomas imagined scars, but a resurrected Jesus showed up anyway – with scars – not because Jesus couldn’t get rid of them, but so that doubters like you and I can,  “look on the one whom we have pierced.” (Zechariah 12:10) Your blessing may look like a beat up package, but remember, it’s not what it looks like. He is a God that is, “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)

What Will You Do?

The question of this blog has not been forgotten: What would you do if He walked into the room? To stand in the presence of your Savior. What would you say? How would you praise if He walked into the room? It’s not what it looks like. What His presence looks like is more than what we could think or imagine: Here’s here right now. This very moment, He is here. (John 14:15-17) He is a very present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1). He is here.

“The King is in the room
Your Healer’s in the room
Your Savior is in the room
Your Provider is in the room
Your Redeemer is in the room
Your Champion is in the room”

–  Elevation Worship feat. Isaiah Templeton

We long to see Him and to know Him as He is, as we should, but don’t miss the fact that part of that salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, is that He indwells in us. Where two or three are gathered, He promises us that He is there (Matthew 18:20). This is why so many of us today wait anxiously to be able to gather together again following this lengthy, but necessary shelter-in-place. God did not create us to be in isolation. He didn’t create you to be socially distant! God created us for relationship, therefore we are relationship driven. We want interaction. 

So what will you do? How will you worship Him? How will you praise? He’s in the room. Will you doubt Him? Will you miss the blessing of His very presence? What will you do? This season is hard. No one thought this is where we’d be. Plans have changed. Things have been canceled, postponed, put aside. But He has never left you. Things are different and the normal we once knew we’ll never return to. If you haven’t acknowledged that He’s always been with you, perhaps the old normal isn’t necessarily something we should strive to go back to. What will you do? He’s here. Jesus Christ, the King above all Kings. Signing out for now. Talk to you again soon. Thanks for reading.

 

 

Elevation Worship: Graves Into Gardens Album
Elevation Worship: There is a King What Would Do LIVE

Check out Elevation Worship’s newest album, “Graves Into Gardens.” Their track, “What Would You Do,” is the inspiration behind this blog. A simple, repetitive melody, but a message we all would benefit meditating on.