Day 55: Jesus, One Day I Will See Your Face

I wonder today how many are weighed down with soul suffering and are becoming weary of the fight of faith? Oswald Chambers says that walking by faith is “a fight always, not sometimes.” The road-weary faith traveler finds new strength in a big dose of God’s Word. Nothing so fuels your faith as the great promises of God. And the bright hope of eternity will bring a new sparkle to the eyes of your heart. Guaranteed, my dear friends.

Yesterday, I attended a memorial of a friend who suddenly died of a heart attack at the age of 49. His graduation to heaven was a shock to all of us. Barry was a sharp guy and the chief of staff for a California state assemblyman. I knew him because we served together at our church and he was my student in some of the Biola classes I taught. I’ve been thinking about him so much. And while I was sitting at the memorial, my mind entertained the fact that Barry is now looking into the face of Jesus—he sees His face! This reality of faith becoming sight is just mind-blowing to me. My friend, Kris, stated it well as we were walking in to the sanctuary, “Don’t you envy him? Don’t you just wish we could all be in his place?” I looked at her in wonder and thought, “Did she really say what I think she said?” And then I nodded in agreement, “Yes, nothing is comparable or better than face to face with Jesus.”

Some of the best words you will ever find in Scripture are in Luke 24. The women arrived at the tomb of Jesus with prepared spices and fragrant oils. They found the stone rolled away and the body of Jesus gone. They were greatly perplexed. Then, two angels appeared and said, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5). Jesus forever confirmed our hope of eternity and heaven when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Jesus’ words here are HUGE – if we die, we shall live and if we live and believe in Jesus we shall never die. I read these words in my Bible during the memorial of my friend – that’s when the BIG thought came to me – he is alive and he sees Jesus face to face! When you turn to the promises of eternity in God’s Word, you are going to have amazing aha God moments where you realize eternal truths in a new and deeper way. You knew it before, but now you really know it! You will find your faith set on fire and your heart renewed and restored.

God promises those who suffer that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Therefore, as Paul says, “we do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16). He continues, “…Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” All sufferers can find comfort in knowing that even great and painful suffering is considered “light affliction” and momentary WHEN COMPARED to your future in eternity. You will experience “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Think on that amazing hope for a few minutes. What glories will you know in heaven? Just turn to Revelation 21 and 22 and you will find the tide turn in your own heart with the “weight of glory” to come—God Himself will be with you and will be your God, He will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and there will be no more death, sorry, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:3-4). You will serve the Lord, you will see His face, and His name will be on your forehead—you are His, basking in the light of His glory, and reigning forever and ever (Revelation 22:3-5). These are the things we look at and see when we open the pages of God’s Word (2 Corinthians 4:18). So my friends and fellow journeyers, take a long look at God’s eternal truths in His Word, and find a new strength to fight the good fight of faith.

My Response: Lord Jesus, today I am thinking about the hope of seeing Your face and living with You forever. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and giving me the hope of heaven and eternity where I will serve and reign with You forever and ever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.