Did God Turn His Back on Jesus?
April 17, 2019
He Called My Name
May 1, 2019
Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. (Blind Bartimaeus, Luke 18:40-41)
As I was reading the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection appearances I was struck by three encounters:
The first with the two men on the road to Emmaus that Sunday afternoon:
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him …. (Luke 24:30-31)
The second when Jesus appeared to his disciples and friends later that evening:
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45)
Ponder this for a moment. If you could ask Jesus for anything what would it be? What would you ask for? Would your requests be more about “for me,” as “Do this for me,” or “in me,” as in “Do this in me, please?”
I wake up most mornings saying to Jesus: “Lord, I want to see. I want to see you, and I want to see as you see.” And this is what caught my attention in these first two encounters.
Jesus opened the eyes of the two men so they could recognize him – so they could … see him … with the eyes of their heart. Later that evening he opened the eyes of his disciples so they could see the scriptures for the first time … with the eyes of their heart.
Both encounters show us these men and women could see Jesus, as well as the scriptures, with the eyes in their head. But this is a far cry from seeing with the eyes of their heart. The difference is black and white versus color, seeing through a mirror dimly versus seeing with spiritual 20-20 vision. The difference is the fog of this tangible world versus the vivid clarity of the very real spiritual world.
The difference is just life, versus the life that is truly life.
Jesus had to open their eyes for them to truly see him for who he is, and to see the scriptures for what they say about him.
He has to do the same for you. You cannot achieve this. You have to want it.
Do you?
This is why I ask almost daily, “Lord, I want to see. I want to see you, and I want to see as you see.” Could there be a richer gift? The more I see Jesus, in the details of my life, the deeper I will walk in the Kingdom, now. Not when I die. Now.
The more I see as Jesus sees, the more love, joy, peace and patience I will have. The more empathy and sympathy. The more clarity. The more compassion. The more wisdom. The more kindness. More grace and less judgment.
Jesus, please, I want to see.
Don’t you?
I close with this prayer for you:
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19)
Next Week: The third encounter was with Mary Magdalene early that Sunday morning, which we will talk about next week. Stay tuned!
Note to all who read Oswald Chambers daily devotion “My Utmost for His Highest:” We have put together a podcast of 3 minute summaries of each daily devotion.
If you go to “Understanding Oswald” in Podcasts, you can sign up for it.
It is also on our www.721ministries.org website.
