When the Israelites saw the great power the LORD had used against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

Exodus 14:31 GW

“Ya Gotta See Him Move” is a phrase that came to me while meditating on what it means to walk with God.

The point of it is found in Exodus 14:31, whereupon seeing God move, the Israelites feared (in “awe” of) and believed (trusted) God. This spiritual moment stirred my memory causing me to reflect on a forgotten lesson of the past, and redefine my walk with God in the present.

Some years ago I was in Florida attending a Christian conference. There were classes on a whole host of topics, but it was a conversation I had with my roommate that changed my life.

At the time, I was a fairly new Christian, about 2 years in the faith after spending the majority of my life believing Christianity was an extraordinary waste of time and energy. Everything I saw in those first 2 years contradicted all I had ever thought was right, upending my natural and trained instincts, and leaving me in a perpetual state of frustration.

Somehow, several spiritually shrewd and inspiring Christians convinced me to stop feeling frustrated and to start learning, so I began to ask a lot of questions.

One of these questions started a life-altering conversation with my conference roommate. I told him I was having difficulty with my Quiet Times – the early morning period of reflection between God and me.

How could I judge whether my Quiet Time was good or bad, a failure or a success? In short, what did it mean to be close to God, and how would I know when this actually happened?

It’s when we see him move in answer to a prayer, in opening our hearts to understand and obey scripture, and ultimately through our lives touching the lives of others.

His answer was succinct and clear. He said, “I don’t judge it by how long I read or pray, although that is important. What shows me my Quiet Time is bringing me closer to God, is when I see God moving in my life.”

I leaned back and thought about his answer. Then I responded something like this, “Wait one minute, you mean my Quiet Time is not about my performance, but about how willing I am to allow God to work in my life?” He responded simply, “Yes!”

Reflecting on that conversation from long ago placed an idiomatic phrase on my heart, while redefining my definition of a Quiet Time. It reminded me of the potential power God can manifest in our lives when we walk with Him.

The phrase I am referring to came to me while walking in prayer: “Ya Gotta See Him Move!” The best and truest measure of intimacy with God is when we see him move. It’s when we see him move in answer to a prayer, in opening our hearts to understand and obey scripture, and ultimately through our lives touching the lives of others.

Reflection questions

Today I hope you will join me in redefining your relationship with God by meditating on these questions, and living a life which enthusiastically affirms that you believe, “Ya Gotta See Him Move.”

  1. While reading Mark 12:18-27 consider how easy it is to get wrapped entangled in doctrinal arguments while ignoring the power of God. How can you see yourself intellectually examining the scriptures with your mind, while failing to obey and experience the power of obeying those Scriptures from the heart?
  2. While reading Galatians 5:22-23 and II Timothy 1:3-12, identify the spiritual qualities we should experience if we are walking powerfully with God. How often do you look for or expect those qualities in your life? Do you believe God can actually move in your life in these ways?
  3. Write down 3-5 instances in your life when you saw God move powerfully. What do you think made your life fertile ground upon which God could move? How can you sustain this mindset and heart condition?

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Believe, Part 2: Ya Gotta See Him Move 7

As the editor in chief for Deep Spirituality, Russ Ewell writes, teaches, and innovates with his eyes on the future. His teaching is rooted in providing hope for those turned off by tradition and infused with vision for building a transformative church. His passion to inspire even the most skeptical to view God through fresh eyes can be found in his book, He's Not Who You Think He Is: Dropping Your Assumptions and Discovering God for Yourself.

Believe, Part 2: Ya Gotta See Him Move 8

As the editor in chief for Deep Spirituality, Russ Ewell writes, teaches, and innovates with his eyes on the future. His teaching is rooted in providing hope for those turned off by tradition and infused with vision for building a transformative church. His passion to inspire even the most skeptical to view God through fresh eyes can be found in his book, He's Not Who You Think He Is: Dropping Your Assumptions and Discovering God for Yourself.

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Rebuild your relationship from the ground up with He's Not Who You Think He Is: Dropping Your Assumptions and Discovering God for Yourself.

Believe, Part 2: Ya Gotta See Him Move 9