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Category: The Interior Life

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Contemplating the Face of Jesus (Part 2)

Mary Magdalene saw Jesus when He had risen from the dead, but she did not recognize His face. 

“…she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.” John 20:14

This woman who really knew His face did not recognize Him in His resurrection body.  It was not until Jesus spoke her name that she recognized Him. How could this be? 

Mary had seen His face when Jesus delivered her from seven demons. He was the first man to ever see her for the beautiful child of God that she was. His face, unlike any other man’s face, expressed honor and esteem towards her, rather than lust and contempt. 

But she also saw Jesus’ face covered in blood, dirt and sweat. She had seen His eyes and lips swollen from the beatings. As she stood at the foot of the cross, she saw His face bloated and bruised, lacerated in places from the whips, and so unlike the face of the gentle deliverer she loved with all of her heart.

But the Man who stood before her in the garden of the tomb did not resemble the image of the tortured rabbi she held in her grief. How could she, of all people, not recognize Him? 

Unbelief had temporarily blinded her. She would no longer see Him again with her limited human sight. Her image of His face was of the Crucified. Standing before her was the Resurrection. It was His spoken Word, calling her by name, that opened her eyes. 

“So then, from now on, we have a new perspective that refuses to evaluate people merely by their outward appearances. For that’s how we once viewed the Anointed One, but no longer do we see him with limited human insight.” 2 Cor 5:16

The Firstborn from the Dead has a human face that emanates resurrection glory. The face of the God-man Jesus cannot be known with limited human insight. Because His face is the manifestation of the knowledge of God.

“Let brilliant light shine out of darkness,” is the one who has cascaded his light into us—the brilliant dawning light of the glorious knowledge of God as we gaze into the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6

To seek the face of Jesus, is to want to know God intimately. We were fashioned to desire His face. The longings we feel to see His face, originated in His heart. He pours into us a longing for the face to face.  Like Moses, we desire the position of friends who look eye to eye with mutual love. 

When John saw Jesus on the Island of Patmos, he said, “And his face was shining like the brightness of the blinding sun! Rev. 1:16

The light of His face gives light to the stars and life to creation. This is why God gave the commandment to have no other gods before His face. That would mean a loss of intimacy with us, instead of a face to face relationship as covenant companions.

In the Old Covenant, the psalmist prayed,

“I heard your voice in my heart say, “Come, seek my face;” my inner being responded, “Yahweh, I’m seeking your face with all my heart.” So don’t turn your face away from me. You’re the God of my salvation; how can you reject your servant in anger? You’ve been my only hope, so don’t forsake me now when I need you!” Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭TPT‬‬

But now, in this New Covenant, in this miracle of union with Christ, He will never leave us, never turn His face away again.

So, now in this moment, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and open the eyes of your heart. He is waiting for your gaze to meet His.

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Contemplating the Face of Jesus (Part 1)

The epicenter of all beauty is the face of Jesus Christ. All beautifully created things originate in His beauty.  The cosmic standard of beauty, and the light of the glory of God are in the face of Jesus Christ.

Every attempt, for over 2000 years, to depict the face of Jesus has fallen short. This is not the lack of artistic talent. In the face of Jesus is the glory and perfect goodness of God. It is no wonder, then, that no human ability can accurately represent Him. From great master artists, to Sunday School books, there is a stereotype of a bearded man with scars and a long white robe. But how do you capture the glory of God?

“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire.” Rev. 1:14

The face of the Resurrected One shines. But more than that, it radiates His otherness – there is no trace of death in Him. From the dawning of the second Genesis that He began when He emerged from the tomb, until today, His face has not aged or tired. He is the Sabbath, the perfect rest of God. His passionate devotion to the Father is in His eyes – they look like flames. All His human features are ordinary. But His glory makes them magnificent. 

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

Rather than being afraid of the face of Jesus, when we see His face, we know we are absolutely loved. Seeing His face awakens ultimate reality in us. We can finally stop running, because face to face with Him is our true home. He looks so completely satisfied when He looks at us, and His kind face invites us to find all satisfaction in Him. 

When we see His face, it is like knowing His love for the very first time, and yet realizing we have always known it, but been asleep or distracted. Every question, every doubt, every religious demand is quieted by the look of welcoming tenderness on His face. Because, when we see the face of Jesus, we are seeing the face of God. “But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2Cor. 3:18

His face is the face of us all. He took on our humanity in the Incarnation. Yet, His face is the unique and holy image of the Father. Like us in all things but sin, His face felt wind and rain, water for washing and oil for soothing. His face was kissed by a betrayer, bruised by soldiers’ brutality, and restored by Resurrection power. 

This relationship of face to face is what God wanted from the beginning. Didn’t He say, “Let us make man in our image…” and commanded His people not to have any other gods “before His face”.  This was because the only face God wanted before Him was ours. This intimacy of friends, of covenant companions was always God’s plan. There is no word in Hebrew for “presence”. The idiom is “face to face” when referring to standing before God. And in that place of “face to face” we are transformed. “But we do know that when it is finally made visible, we will be just like him, for we will see him as he truly is.” 1 Jn. 3:2

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What Gets in the Way

I began watching a YouTube video today of a much loved minister, when another person came on the program who I had seen before. As I watched the interview, I could feel a wall inside me when the guest on the show started to share some things from Scripture. Then I started to leave the video and head to another program when Holy Spirt simply shined a light on my heart-wall.

Because I had judged the guest speaker negatively some time ago, I was unable to receive the light and truth she was releasing on this show. Then, I felt the tender grief of Holy Spirit, Who wanted to release His love through me to this beautiful woman on YouTube. And, He also had something for me in her message. But I could not receive His gift because of my negative judgment.

I didn’t hate this person, I didn’t feel anything much towards her. But I definitely did not love her. I had elevated myself above her, without knowing much about her at all. I had no idea of her pain, struggles, past trauma, or past joys. I simply put up a judgment wall and now both of us lost something. She could have been prayed for by me, and I could have received something from heaven through her. What a waste. What a loss.

If you’re still reading this, please don’t do what I did. Please don’t build walls around your heart. I have. This not only keeps people out (who may be sent by God) but it keeps God out too. I only have one heart. If I build a wall that I think will protect me, that same wall will also isolate me from beautiful, wonderful people and blessings.

So, I’ll end here. I think I need to go watch a YouTube video.

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Turn aside from all else. 

This is the secret of encountering Jesus. He is already fully with us. He could not be more with us. But this turning aside is our intentional, intense, singular gaze at Christ within. 

When precious Holy Spirit breathes on our weak hearts He carries us into the chamber awareness of God’s presence, and helps us recognize Christ in us. This is why He is called The Helper. We cannot do this without His great and loving help. Even if we are not hungry for Him, even if we are not filled with longing, even if our hearts feel cold, if we will simply ask, He will provide the fire from heaven. He always says yes to the feeblest cry for more.  

Like Moses in the desert, we turn aside to behold the mystery of the One who burns with fiery love. It was when Moses made this choice to turn aside, that God called out to him. This is our greatest experience, to hear His voice, to enjoy sweet communion with Him, to be completely preoccupied with His beauty. As we slip away from all other distractions and demands, He becomes our life’s  magnificent obsession.  When we say, “Come Lord,” it is not because He is not here. It is just a realization that He is here. And saying, ‘Come,” is giving a voice to our innermost longing and utmost welcome of His beautiful Person.

“For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him.” Hebrews 11: 6

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How many teeth does an alligator have?

God invented smiling. He invented the whole universe. He is the smartest person there is. He knows everything and everyone inside out. He knows how many feathers are on each peacock and how many teeth every alligator has. He knows how to make lightning, bumble bees and planets. There is nothing that is too hard for Him to figure out.

From “How to Enjoy God All the Time”

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Struggling to Love

If you struggle to love someone who you know is living in sin…

If you are afraid that if you really love them, they’ll think you agree with their choices…

If you hesitate to show them kindness and mercy because that could send the wrong message…

Then ask yourself, does God struggle to love me when I sin?

Does God withhold love from me because He doesn’t agree with my choices?

Does God hesitate to show me kindness and mercy because that could send me the wrong message?

Jesus gave us one commandment: love one another as He loves us. I’m not sure I’m very good at this yet. But I want to love like He loves.

I want to be Father’s arms to the prodigals, and Jesus’ hands to the lepers. I want to have a heart like an open door that Holy Spirit can just flow out of me.

I don’t have to identify people by their sins. (Jesus doesn’t)

I don’t have to abandon my beliefs in order to love. (Jesus doesn’t)

I just have to love.

The new commandment Jesus gave us to love one another doesn’t have an asterisk next to it that reads, *except people who…..

And it wasn’t a suggestion. It’s not an option.

If you read all this and you honestly want to love like Jesus loves, then ask God to go to work on your heart first. Ask Him to change your heart, before you ask Him to change others.

I wonder what would happen if there was a love movement? If those who follow Jesus would be known as the greatest lovers of all time? What if we loved as He loves us?

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Rest a Little

Let yourself be off duty for a few minutes. Most of what we expect of ourselves is tragically false responsibility anyway.

I had some surgery recently. Wouldn’t it have been ridiculous of me to make suggestions to the surgeon as he worked? Or worse, try to operate on myself? (Although I did see that in a movie once, where a doctor operated on himself to remove a bullet. It was truly gruesome!)

No. All I did was fall asleep in the operating room. The capable physician did all the rest. My part was consent and surrender. In other words, “Yes, and Amen.”

So, if you can, take a little break today. Sit quietly, and offer the Great Physician your “yes and amen.” Rest, my dear. Let go of your terribly busy life for a few moments and just be His.