Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” – John 1:50
We took a trip last weekend to see my husband’s family. It was a good weekend with amazing people. It’s a long drive with plenty of green and a few cities to break it up. One of my favorite views on the drive are the lines of windmills that stretch out as far as the eye can see. They fascinate me and I have a secret wish to go up to the top of one even though heights are not my favorite.
At one point in the drive, I was sitting in the backseat with my four year old. I was looking at the enormous yet graceful windmill blades and daydreaming when a large group of birds rose up from the field all at once. About 100 birds popped up out of nowhere and surprised and delighted me.
I heard my four year old say, “Oh cool! Birdies!” and I turned to agree with her and saw her looking out the opposite window. She was not looking at 100 birds; she was looking at 4. I laughed then groaned a little bit. That poor child was missing out, being impressed with a couple birds when there had been 20 times the coolness out my window. I’m glad she enjoyed it, but I wanted her to see more.
How often are we just like my daughter? We see a little miracle, a little healing, a little vision, or a little answered prayer and say, “Oh cool! I’m impressed.” Meanwhile God wants to show us bigger miracles, more healing, wild visions, and answered prayers that bring us to our knees at His goodness.
We pray for someone in the church with a headache, but we won’t pray for the one in the wheelchair because we are scared and don’t believe that He is who He says He is and that He will use us in the way He said He would use in in scripture. We settle at the current point of our spiritual growth instead of push on toward the growth that would really show God’s goodness and glory. We share the gospel one of one when no one can see instead of posting it on social media because we can’t imagine it being effective.
We settle for God cleaning up our mouths, but we don’t believe that He can clean up our minds. We are content with the last thing that God did and not praying and looking for what He wants to do next. We are scared to believe the miracles we hear about because the testimony came from the wrong group.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” – John 1:47-51
Here’s the context of the verse. There are so many other points I could dig into but isn’t it beautiful that Nathanael’s heart was so tender and so eager that it took only one prophecy from Jesus for Nathanael to recognize Him? He had amazing faith and understanding, but Jesus knew it was the tip of the iceberg and wanted Nathanael to know it too.
I want to celebrate each word from God, and each testimony of His goodness and nature. I will worship Him for the sweet nudges and closeness in tender times. He must receive my thanksgiving when He sanctifies each area of my life and gives me small victories, but I will not be satisfied with anything less that the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven in my life and all around me.
Can we take every single seed He gives us and plant it in fertile soil? Can we grow in our gifts, our faith, our vision, our trust, our humility, our excitement, and our faithfulness? Will we cry out to God to show us heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man?
Will we believe other Christians when they tell us what He has done before their very eyes? Will we be humble enough to receive training and inspiration from the Christians we don’t agree with who see the things we don’t see? Will we spur one another on and share the things we don’t think anyone will believe?
The sight of four birds is beautiful, 100 birds is more glorious, but we all know that there are groups of more. 100’s. 1,000’s. Large and shocking flocks of birds that rise into the air and make us marvel at how God designed them and how something so small and simple could join into something so magnificent.
There is more, and I want to see it. I want to witness the greatness of God and testify to a broken world of His immense power and tender loving kindness. I won’t be satisfied with the biggest miracle I’ve ever seen because I know there is bigger.
This is on my heart more and more and the focus of our women’s retreat this year. To witness the supernatural power of God in scripture and in our lives and learn to glorify God and testify to it. God is moving in this season to show Himself to His people and the world in bigger ways.
So, we train our eyes, ears, and all our senses to perceive Him. Show us your glory, Lord! Teach us of your greatness and your ways. Draw us closer to you daily, and don’t allow us to limit You in any way.
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