He Wants Us to See Him

The following hymn comes to mind: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Howarth Lemmel.  The lyrics refer to what the Lord desires for us.  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim; in the light of His glory and grace.”

Positive results occur when we see Jesus face-to-face. I believe it’s the first step to the rest of our life regarding positive blessings that fall our way—one by one—one blessing after another.  God promised, in Scripture, that it would be so for born again believers. 

That experience of the “new birth” and what comes next, reminds me somewhat of a row of dominoes that are waiting for the first domino to be touched.  Though they may not be in a straight line, such is life with its curves. 

For many, the transformation is quiet, with changes in character, pliability, resilience, and purpose.  Yes, life has its bends and turns, or as some would call them, “the ups and downs of life” but God is with us through every challenge. 

I’m glad when I saw Jesus and touched the hymn of His garment, as it were, healing began to fall from heaven starting with my sins being forgiven, and then one blessing after another, like a row of dominoes.

True, dominoes might not all fall as external rewards—but they can show up as resilience, meaning, and a sense of direction.  I call it, “the domino effect” where life has its curves, but the essence of clear vision begins at the cross with a touch.

When we see Jesus face-to-face and touch Him, it is the beginning of a new life.  He gives direction and hope that the world fails to give.  The Lord wants us to see Him for who He is, the Son of the living God.

When we see Him, it’s like coming out of a dense fog into the brilliance of His forever love—leaving sin behind.  We see Jesus when we look beyond the unfulfilling temptations around us. 

Jesus wanted so badly for us to see Him, that He willingly gave His life on a cross so that our vision would become clear, making it easy to see God’s gift of grace that is free to those who ask for forgiveness.

For many years I’ve sung the following hymn in church: “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay.  I needed someone to wash my sins away.  And now I sing a brand-new song, Amazing Grace.  Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”   

Jesus is the One we need to see and invite into our hearts.  He is the only answer to perfect vision—removing blindness in a world of temptation.

(Hebrews 12:1-2), “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (vs 2) “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd