What was the significance of Sai Baba's statement to Jog, 'You did not recognize Me! Why then did you call Me?' in response to Dev's complaint?

This statement, found in Chapter 40, serves as a profound teaching and a gentle rebuke. By asking, "Why then did you call Me?" Baba highlights the contradiction in Dev's actions: he invited the Guru with love but lacked the faith and awareness to perceive His presence in an unexpected form. The significance lies in the lesson that a true invitation to the divine requires one to look beyond outward appearances and preconceived notions. Baba was teaching that his presence is not limited to his physical body in Shirdi and that genuine faith should be able to recognize him in any guise. He fulfilled his word precisely, but Dev's vision was clouded by his own mental barriers, which Baba sought to expose for Dev's own spiritual growth.