We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. I John 3:2
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I have always liked this verse, but was never quite able to put my finger on why until today.
I was in a Barnes & Noble last night, and in my brief perusal saw such titles as “Jesus Christ: Life Coach” and “A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus.” There are countless books about Jesus – and increasingly, titles that reflect a desire to extract what Jesus can do for us. To suggest the opposite is countercultural at best, if not completely backwards: evidence that you are some manner of evolutionary throwback in matters of reason.
It’s all around us, this game of making Jesus who we imagine Him to be – a form of idolatry as pervasive in the pew as it is in politics. To the social activists, He is wholly concerned with correcting the injustices of poverty and oppression. To international workers, unity and peace at all costs is His message. For a lot of complacent churchgoers, He’s solely a ticket out of eternal torment. Too often, for me, He is the One secretly directing my life, refusing to let me in on the next step until the absolute last minute because He wants to make sure I know He is the one in control.
But – and I will only speak to my misapprehensions here – I know based on the Word that is not the case. Jesus is not engaged in some sort of epic power struggle over my little life. He already owns it; it is bought and paid for. He has not bought me to be His slave under lock and key; He purchased me out of bondage. That’s what the concept of redemption is all about. He freed me. But when I let the focus of my perspective linger on myself instead of Him, I begin to believe these terrible things… just as others fashion a “savior” in their own image to suit their agenda.
But someday, something is going to happen that changes all that. We will see Him. We will be with Him. Faith will become sight. The time for relying on the Holy Spirit and the historical record of the Bible will be over. He’s going to be right here.
Recall how transformed the disciples were following Jesus’ resurrection. They were not made perfect at that moment, but something happened when they saw the risen Christ that changed the trajectory of their lives forever. They saw Him and eventually gave their lives up telling others about it. They became more like Him, for they had seen Him glorified.
What a relief to know that, someday, I will have no room for doubts or fears or second-guesses. Only one look, one glance, and all my delusions will fall like frail autumn leaves on a swift, crisp breeze. Knowledge of Him will crowd out uncertainty. We will be filled with so much truth that lies will find no resting place. So unlike this pilgrim land.
That alone is plenty to look forward to.
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1 comment:
Amen and again I say amen.
S.J. Walker requesting permission to quote.
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