Posted on 09/28/2020 12:11:18 PM PDT by metmom
Jesus came to earth as a man, God in flesh, so he could feel our pain, be tempted and tried as we are, and show us the Father. Scripture calls Jesus the express image (meaning, the exact likeness) of God. He is the same essence and substance of God the Father (“being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” [Hebrews 1:3]). In short, he is “the same as” the Father in all ways.
To this very day, Jesus Christ is the face of God on earth. And because of him, we have uninterrupted fellowship with the Father. Through the cross, we have the privilege of “seeing his face,” of touching him. We can even live as he did, testifying, “I don’t do anything except as I see and hear it from the Lord.”
“When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to you, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek’” (Psalm 27:8). God gave that answer to David when that godly man was surrounded by a host of idolators. Today, when God says, “Seek my face,” his words have more implications than at any other time in history.
As lovers of the blood-stained Christ of Calvary, seeking him must become our single, all-consuming desire in life. Our one mission is to be in continual, uninterrupted communion with the Christ of glory — to seek and inquire in his Word of the beauty of Jesus, until we know him, and he becomes our full satisfaction.
We do all this for one purpose: that we may be like him! That we may become his express image so that those who seek the true Christ will see him in us. All evangelism, all soul-winning, all missions outreaches are in vain unless we behold Jesus’ face and are continually changed into his image. No soul can be touched except by such Christians. And Jesus has called us to reflect his face to a lost world that is confused about who he is.
As we see things around us becoming more and more chaotic, the Holy Spirit whispers, “Don’t despair! You know how all of this is going to end. The heavens are going to open, and the King of kings and Lord of lords will appear.”
Every knee shall bow on that day when we behold his face!
| 1. Jesus, the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills the breast! Yet sweeter far Thy face to see And in Thy Presence rest. |
2. No voice can sing, no heart can frame, Nor can the memory find, A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name, The Saviour of mankind. |
| 3. O hope of every contrite heart! O joy of all the meek! To those who fall, how kind Thou art! How good to those who seek! |
4. But what to those who find? Ah! this Nor tongue nor pen can show The love of Jesus, what it is, None but His loved ones know. |
| 5. Jesus! our only hope be Thou, As Thou our prize shalt be; In Thee be all our glory now, And through eternity. |
Amen. |
*Himself* by AB Simpson
Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.
Once ’twas painful trying,
Now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation,
Now the uttermost;
Once ’twas ceaseless holding,
Now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting,
Now my anchor’s cast.
Once ’twas busy planning,
Now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care;
Once ’twas what I wanted,
Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking,
Now ’tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working,
His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him,
Now He uses me;
Once the pow’r I wanted,
Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored,
Now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus,
Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying,
Now they brightly shine;
Once for death I waited,
Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored
Safe within the veil.
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