And our eyes at last shall see Him
I wasn't there 2000 years ago kneeling by a stable in Bethlehem, gazing into a baby's face in awe and wonder. I didn't follow the star with the wise men until they came and saw the young child. My mortal eyes did not behold the boy as he grew into a man and assumed his divine role.
And yet, I know that all those things happened. And I am grateful.
And, because of what that young child did when he came to this earth so long ago, I will yet see him!
One of my favorite lines in all of Christmas music reads, "And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love" ("Once in Royal David's City"). What hope there is in that statement! We didn't have to be there to partake of that miracle. He came to this earth for each of us, regardless of the century in which we lived. And our insatiable longing for his presence will one day be filled. Every trace of homesickness for him will be replaced with joy and peace. Because of what he did so long ago, we will be with him once again.
Someday, the Lord of heaven and earth will return to this world. Not as a baby, seen by relatively few mortals, but as the risen King of kings. And every eye shall see. I will see him. You will see him. And I hope that I am ready and that I know him.
But I don't think that the promise of knowing him is only available to us upon our death or his return to earth--I rather think that we need to come to know Him now so that when we see him we will be ready. At Christmas time, as at every season of the year, it is our task to come to know our Savior. We come to know him through service, through obedience, through love, through forgiveness--through all those things that are often hard for us but that we know are right. And the more we know him, the more we feel his presence.
Christ was not just in Bethlehem all those years ago, but he is with us today. And while we cannot see him just yet, we can come to know him as we prepare for that glorious day when his grace will bring us back into his presence and we will be able to look into the loving face of our Savior, Advocate, Judge, and Messiah. That's what Christmas is preparing us for.
And yet, I know that all those things happened. And I am grateful.
And, because of what that young child did when he came to this earth so long ago, I will yet see him!
One of my favorite lines in all of Christmas music reads, "And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love" ("Once in Royal David's City"). What hope there is in that statement! We didn't have to be there to partake of that miracle. He came to this earth for each of us, regardless of the century in which we lived. And our insatiable longing for his presence will one day be filled. Every trace of homesickness for him will be replaced with joy and peace. Because of what he did so long ago, we will be with him once again.
Someday, the Lord of heaven and earth will return to this world. Not as a baby, seen by relatively few mortals, but as the risen King of kings. And every eye shall see. I will see him. You will see him. And I hope that I am ready and that I know him.
But I don't think that the promise of knowing him is only available to us upon our death or his return to earth--I rather think that we need to come to know Him now so that when we see him we will be ready. At Christmas time, as at every season of the year, it is our task to come to know our Savior. We come to know him through service, through obedience, through love, through forgiveness--through all those things that are often hard for us but that we know are right. And the more we know him, the more we feel his presence.
Christ was not just in Bethlehem all those years ago, but he is with us today. And while we cannot see him just yet, we can come to know him as we prepare for that glorious day when his grace will bring us back into his presence and we will be able to look into the loving face of our Savior, Advocate, Judge, and Messiah. That's what Christmas is preparing us for.
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