THE JOY OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE
No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.
Revelation 22:3-4 (NLT)
When I was dating Deb in college, she would sometimes take the Greyhound bus back to Atlanta, where we were in school. I would be waiting at the station, scanning the crowd with eager anticipation. I remember how my heart leapt when I saw her face appear. There is something about seeing the face of someone you love. Research shows babies do better when they recognize the faces of their mother and father. People see faces on the moon and in toast. We all love seeing faces. But there is one face above all others.
As amazing as the new heaven and earth will be with streets of gold, dazzling jewels, vibrant colors, breathtaking architecture, redeemed people from every nation, and so much more, the greatest joy will not be the place but experiencing the presence of God and seeing Him face to face. I don’t know how billions of Christians will be able to see the face of Christ, but the amazing promise is that we will.
The Bible repeatedly highlights this intimate encounter of seeing God face to face. Think of Moses speaking with God as a man speaks to his friend, or the high priest entering the Most Holy Place once a year. In eternity, that veil is gone forever. Worship will not be limited to set times; all of life will be lived in God’s unhindered presence. Our relationship with Him will be free from sin’s distortion. Think of it, no more hiding or distance.
What will we be doing? Far more than just singing. We will be worshiping God with unending joy, knowing Him more deeply than we ever could on earth, and experiencing perfect communion with Him and with one another. Every moment will be saturated with His love, His beauty and His nearness. The curse will be lifted. Our deepest longing will be fulfilled in beholding Him.
APPLICATION: Practicing worship now prepares our hearts for eternity. Make time today to fix your eyes on Jesus, through His Word, in prayer and in quiet adoration. Train your soul to delight in His presence.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for the promise that one day You and I will be face to face, and I will live in Your presence without any barrier. Deepen my love for You today. Amen.
"… Our Father in heaven…" Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
• What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
"… may your name be kept holy." Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
• What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
"May your Kingdom come soon." Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
• Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
"Give us today the food we need," Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
• Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I'm around today?
"and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
• Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
"And don't let us yield to temptation…" Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
• Is there anywhere I'm vulnerable to temptation?