Close Encounters of the God Kind
Bishop T. D. Jakes
I am standing in the afterglow of a divine moment. As a leader, who hosts many events, I always try to sense God’s purpose and afterwards to evaluate the accomplishments and efficiency of the meeting to determine its success. I critique myself by asking, “Was it in the highest and best use of my time”? The other question I consider in a recap moment is, “Did it accomplish its intended purpose?” For this event, as with many others, I personally believe the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Project Gideon was so much more than a class. Oddly, it was more than a mentoring experience though that was the original intent. It seemed to be more of an impartation! It was for many of its attendees (judging by emails, social media response and current registration for 2016), a close encounter of the God kind!
So I thought I would post a theological discourse about this event — Project Gideon — from a biblical metaphor. I’m reminded of Moses in Exodus 33 where the sage Pastor of the Hebrew church seeks a deeper encounter with God. It is here that he, alone with God away from his normal duties, has an experience with God that affects the rest of his journey. It is said that God caused His goodness to pass over Moses. He did indeed! The Hebrew term Kavod used in Psalms 3:3, is paralleled with His shield and in Job 29:20, the word kavod is used also and is paralelled with his bow. The King of glory mentioned in Psalms 24:8 is as in “ Who is the King of the glory” (kavod); YHWH is strong and mighty! The original concrete word meaning of kavod is battle armaments. It means “heavy” as armaments are the heavy weapons and defenses of battle. In today’s terminology, it would be as heavy as weapons of mass destruction!
To my Gideonites, my mighty millennial soldiers, you are equipped for what you face. Not by the strength of your age, nor by the force of your fury, but you are equipped by your ability to have and recreate encounters with God! When you preach, teach, serve or lead do like Moses and bring the people to the place in God you have experienced.
I understand that as you get back in the trenches you, may like Moses , go back to face people whose vision, sarcasm, or in some cases carnality emits an odor so full of stench that it is liken unto the sweaty writhing bodies of those who danced naked in the desert before the smoldering heat of the golden calf. Understand that their problem, pains, and issues are merely opportunities, not to be condescending, but to be transformative by bringing them to the glory of God, where they, too, can have a transformative experience! It is God that must be glorified not our names, our FB followers, or our fleshly ambitions. Work under leadership; work together as a team. This is not about your name, but God’s and His alone! If you lift up His name, that alone will lift up yours!
As the days turn to weeks and the weeks give way to months before we connect again, I assure you that God will do heavy things amongst you! I want to challenge you not to dumb down your encounter to the status quo, nor replace Kavod for carelessness. This is a time to let God arise and His enemies be scattered. I write to you with a pen filled with presence and a mind filled with messages determined to feed the feeders and lead the leaders.
Remember you are not next. You are now! Stand up in His glory and know that He will finish all things concerning you! My heart leaps with joy upon every remembrance of what you and I shared together as we savored a close encounter with God!
I’d love to hear your comments on this post!
TDJ
