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In light of our current series “Things Unseen,” I was reading John 1 this morning and saw it from a different angle. So go with me for a second and imagine…

It’s the year 35 AD, a few years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The disciples, who previously leaned in to learn for three years under Jesus, were now apostles and sent out to serve. After all they had witnessed, they now saw things very differently than they did those first years following Jesus. They now knew Him for who He really was, not only a great teacher, but God.

Do you ever wish you could go back to your teenage years and get a second chance at those awkward moments and fails? I bet this is how the disciples felt looking back. I bet they wished they could get a redo of those three years spent doing life with Jesus 24/7.

And here’s what I think would happen…

It’s not that many of the scenes that we’ve come to know in the Gospels would change that drastically. People would still oppose Jesus, they’d still come to see the miracles, hear him speak, and leave when they had their fill. Storms would still happen. But one thing that would change is the disciple’s reactions and responses in many of these stories.

In the storm they would’ve stayed calm.

They wouldn’t have tried to send the 5,000+ away due to lack of food.

They might have brought people to Jesus instead of rebuking them from bothering Him.

The circumstances of the disciples in all these stories probably don’t change, but what would change, is the men themselves.

But see, they weren’t alone, many had missed Jesus as God in those first years. John tells us…

He [Jesus] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. [John 1:10-13]

Things unseen. God unseen.

Many people saw a great teacher, an influencer, an advocate of justice. But they missed the divine. And John directly links recognising (seeing) and receiving.

See, we must first recognise His divinity to truly receive from Him as a counsellor, a trusted friend or a gift giver. That first century mistake John speaks of, we make it too. We go to Him seeking to receive before recognising Him as God. We want the counsel, friendship and gifts, but they can only really be understood and transformative if approached with His divinity in mind.

Because when we do that first, it breeds a beautiful humility. And humility is the posture needed to truly receive.

So friends, be still and know He is God. Acknowledge that first continually as you approach Him and be blessed.

Recognise, and receive.