Who is God?

Jason H
May 30, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Sep 23

This chapter in our story turned doubt into certainty—for me and my wife. It’s not just a memory; it’s a marker. I share it in hopes that it stirs your own pursuit of Him.

We longed to know God firsthand—not through hearsay, but through encounter. It’s one thing to read about Thomas Jefferson; it’s another to live with him. We were living with God, seeing His fingerprints in our lives, yet still asking: Who is He, really?

Imagine working under someone’s authority for years—knowing their name, hearing stories, sensing their influence—but never formally meeting. That was us. We knew Scripture’s testimony, but we yearned for a personal introduction.

So we prayed. Night after night, we humbled ourselves and asked God to reveal Himself however He chose.

The Encounter

Night One: A Dream

After the first night of intense seeking/praying/pondering with my wife, I had a dream...

I dreamt I was walking through a long hallway, checking rooms. I turned a corner—and there He was. Jesus. I knew it instantly. My knees buckled, my head bowed, and I cried out, “Oh! My Lord Jesus!” The fear was holy. The memory lingered for days. I rarely remember dreams—this one etched itself in me. Still, we filed it away as “not definitive.”

Night Two: A Light

The next night, my wife was caring for our baby, weighed down by questions and anguish about the brokenness of the world. She wasn’t venting into the void—she was speaking directly to God. As she bent over the crib, a brilliant light filled the room, originating from behind her. It lit up everything like a lightning bolt, but slower, softer, and without any storm. She turned to find the source—nothing. No outlets, no fire, no explanation. Just light—and a “peaceful terror.”

She searched for an explanation. Nothing. As a nurse, she considered neurological causes. But she also wondered: Was this Him? We didn’t claim certainty, but we logged it again: another moment that defied explanation and pointed toward Him.

Night Three: A Name

On the third night, knowing that He delights in a humble heart, we prayed a simple prayer; "Please tell us who you are."

We opened our hearts to His arrival.

I recalled a past moment when God had clearly directed us—leaving a good job to raise our family near extended kin. That memory stirred us to seek Him in a similar way again.

Click on the photo below to read that story.

thealtarjh@outlook.com — My son's chalkboard

After recollecting this event from our past, I said to my wife, "If He enjoys talking to us in that specific way, let's do something like this again..."

Let me preface this with key insights into our state of mind. Who was this invisible person we catch undoubted glimpses of? We were open to whatever He wanted to tell us - even if it was something entirely unexpected. We reasoned that His "Good Father" and "Good Shepherd" attributes - that we already have encountered several times - would see our desire and at least consider our request.

A word of caution before we continue: we do not recommend approaching Scripture in the way we’re about to describe unless you are clearly led by the Holy Spirit. Truly—God is not a tool to be manipulated, and the Bible is not a magic 8-ball. That said, we also trust that God retains full authority to speak however He chooses. He is good, He protects, and no evil force desires us to draw nearer to Him—only to pull us away. See Matthew 12:25–26. In this moment, we felt peace and clarity to follow His lead in this specific way.

Candice opened the Bible—not to a chosen verse, but by letting it fall open. She landed in Luke 3. “It’s just a list of names,” she said. I froze. “That’s the lineage of Jesus!”

That genealogy proves to the disbelieving ancient Jew that Jesus is the Son of God. That was Jesus' ancient Birth Certificate. We asked who He was—and He answered: Jesus, the Son of God.

Before you dismiss this with a casual “well, of course,” pause and reread the last two paragraphs. This wasn’t a mere realization—it was a sacred encounter. God, in His grace, met us exactly where we were and revealed Himself—not through abstraction, but through His own hand. He answered our question with clarity, presence, and love.

Akiane's painting: "Prince of Peace" — The Son of God

In the dream, I couldn’t lift my head. I couldn’t stand. All I could do was fall to my knees in His presence. The words “Oh! My Lord Jesus!” burst out of me—completely involuntary. It wasn’t performance. It was surrender. The moment echoed Romans 14:11: “Every knee will bow, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.” That verse didn’t just come to mind—it came to life.

Confirmation

In prayer, I asked for more. Candice added, “And what do we do now that we know?” She opened the Bible again. It fell to Psalms 13 and 14.

Psalm 13 mirrored our struggle: "How long, Lord?". We believe this was God saying to us, "I know how you are struggling."

Psalm 14 declared: "Only fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'"

It was as if He said, “I see your struggle. Believe—I am here.”

In Conclusion...

We didn’t need more signs. We were satisfied. God had spoken—not through vague impressions, but through Scripture itself. Looking back, we feel foolish for doubting. But we’re also grateful—for His patience, His presence, and His grace.

If this story stirs questions in you, ask. I’ll answer. My hope is that it draws you closer to the One who answers.

Follow up: Who is God? (Part 2)