A few years ago I was drinking coffee in a restaurant with a good friend.
God doesnt exist, he said. Yes he does, I said, I know, because I just spoke to him this morning.
Were still good friends, but my supposedly clever answer really got me thinking. I often talk to God and Jesus Christ. I will think about them and read my Bible. I will go to church and talk to other people about them, but when last did I really see Jesus?
Luke tells the story of Zacchaeus a tax collector, who wanted to see who Jesus was (Luke 19:3). Zacchaeus must have heard about Jesus and possibly some of the amazing miracles he had performed. That was not good enough for him. He was not satisfied to just hear about Jesus, but wanted to see for himself who Jesus really was.
In another story a Samaritan woman meets and talks to Jesus at a well. The woman perceives there is something extraordinary about Jesus and runs back to her village and tells everyone she thinks she has found the Messiah. They all come out to see Jesus. Their words to the woman are interesting. We no longer believe just because of what you said; we have now heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world (John 4:42). As with Zacchaeus, they had heard about Jesus, but now they saw him.
There are times I wish that I could literally see Jesus face to face. Some people claim to have seen him in visions and the like, but this is not what I am talking about. The time will come one day when we will all bow down in front of the returned Saviour, but until then when last did you really see Jesus?
Is Jesus real to you? Do you feel that you are in his presence when you pray to him or when you read his words in the Bible? Is Jesus truly our living friend and companion, or is it all just theory and head knowledge? Genesis 5:22 says that Enoch walked with God. A person might say that is just language for the fact that he obeyed God, but I think it is much deeper than that. To Enoch God was real and ever present. King David had the same experiences of reality with God. Once again these people did not just hear about God. Theirs was a truly intimate and deep relationship.
Job says it beautifully. He went through a tough time, most of which he initially did not understand. He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask God. He had a relationship with God and thought he knew exactly who God was. Then, at the end of the story God confronts Job and talks to him. Suddenly, Job comes to truly understand and know God much more personally and says, My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you (Job 42:5). For the first time in his life Job saw God and he was never the same again.
We should desire and strive to get to know Jesus so well and intimately that we literally see him, albeit not physically. If Jesus was so real to us that we constantly walked with him then there are a lot of things we would do and wouldnt do. Jesus desires to have a close, real and intimate relationship with each one of us. Jesus said that his sheep know his voice and hear when he calls them by name (John 10:3). You would need to have met someone to know their voice. Zacchaeus heard Jesus voice and would never forget it, that day he climbed a fig tree to see Jesus and Jesus, stopping under the tree, looked up and said; Zaccheaus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Does Jesus stay in your house?
I long for the day when Jesus will return. I picture millions and millions of people jumping and shouting for joy. Over the din of the delighted jubilations I hear a familiar voice and see a familiar face smiling at me. Jesus rushes forward and in turn hugs me tightly, So good to see you again we both say with tears of joy running down our faces.
When last did you see Jesus?
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