What a blessing to hear devotional thoughts from Jennifer Epperson this week! If you’d like to learn more about her, just stop by our contributors page.
In John chapter one, Jesus is gathering His disciples. In verse 43, He says to Philip, “Follow me.” Philip finds Nathanael and shares great news: “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph [verse 45].”
Nathanael is doubtful. “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth [verse 46]?”
Philip encourages him to come and see for himself. When Jesus sees Nathanael coming, He says of him, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile [verse 47]!”
Nathanael questions how Jesus knows him. Jesus explains, “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee [verse 48].
The fact that Jesus knew that Nathanael had just been under the fig tree was enough to convince him. In verse 49, Nathanael declares, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”
Throughout time, many have found it difficult to believe that there’s a God or to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Nathanael, though, was convinced simply because Jesus knew where he was, and Jesus assures him that he will see even greater things in the future.
There’s a comforting thought here. The Lord knows where you are, too. Maybe you’re like Nathanael sitting under a tree—needing someone to find you and introduce you to Jesus. He knows where you are.
Or perhaps you are like Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus climbed up in the sycamore tree because “he sought to see Jesus who he was [Luke 19:3].” And Jesus knew Zacchaeus was in the tree and told him to come down so that He could come to Zacchaeus’ house. Maybe you are looking for Jesus because you have never known Him, or maybe you once did, but you don’t feel like you can see Him right now. Jesus knows where you are.
Maybe you identify with Elijah. After he slew the prophets of Baal, Jezebel sent him a threat: “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time [1 Kings 19:2].” Even though Elijah knew Jezebels gods were non-existent, and his God was real and powerful, he still ran for his life to the wilderness.
He sat under a juniper tree, wishing to die, despondent because he felt he was the only person left who was zealous for God. God knew where he was and met him there. He gave Elijah his next mission and assured him that there were 7,000 others in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. If you find yourself depressed and despondent, God knows where you are, too.
It’s not a little thing that God knows where you are, and it’s not a bad thing either. I remember learning, as a child, that I couldn’t hide from God. And it came with a negative connotation—He knows when I do bad things! Yikes!
His knowing where we are is good, though. It means He knows what we need. It means He can find us there and help. And let’s not forget that even greater things await.
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