If someone were to ask you the question “Where would you go to find God?,” what would your answer be? If you were asked where to find light bulbs, you would possibly say Home Depot. If were you asked where to find a burrito, you would probably say Chipotle. But, where do you find God? See, that’s an interesting question that would cause a number of different responses from all of us. Some of you might respond by saying that you find God in nature. Enjoying creation, whether it be staring out at the clear starry night, looking at the sunset over the ocean, or relaxing in your backyard. Creation allows some people to feel closer to God. So, it makes total sense that one would find God in nature. Most people would say that you can find God in a church, which makes sense as well. But, at the end of His life, Jesus didn’t say that you would find God in nature or in a church building. In fact, Jesus said something very different.
In Matthew 25, Jesus said that, at the end of all time, God is going to split people into two groups. One group had found God, the other had not.
Verse 34 ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
41“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
Jesus knew that people would want to find God because He understood our need for God. He knew, though, that we would try to find God, in what we thought, obvious places (like, nature and church). However, the group that fed, gave a drink to, invited one into their home, clothed, cared for, and visited one in prison are the people who had actually found God. Jesus tells us very clearly that, if we want to know Him and find Him, we will find Him with the ignored, the poor, the orphan, the widowed, the sick, the “least of these”. When we help, when we serve, when we reach out, when we touch the lives “of the least of these”, we are helping God. That is where you go to find God.
