“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” – Colossians 1:15
Have you ever wanted to see God?
I grew up loving Michael W. Smith. I remember the first time I got to see him in concert. It was a great concert. Up until that point, I had only been able to listen to his music. At the concert, I was able to see him. Beyond that, they did some really great, original things with his music.
Have you ever wanted to see a personal hero in person? Maybe it was a musician or an actor or someone who did amazing things in a field you loved.
What about God? Would you want to see God?
For me, the answer is, yes…and no.
I long to see God. I would love to physically be in His presence. At the same time, though, I know it wouldn’t be quite how I would like. I can’t think of a single example in the Bible where someone comes into the immediate presence of God the Father and it doesn’t result in absolute fear. Think of Moses.
“Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’ And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’” – Exodus 33:18-20
Man cannot stand the full glory of God in our present state. However…
People have seen the image of God.
Jesus is the image of the Father. Jesus even said,
“Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.’” – John 14:8-10
Such is the unity of the Trinity. If you’ve seen the Son, you’ve seen the Father and Spirit. If you have heard the Son, you have heard the Father and Spirit.
We could not be in the presence of the full glory of God and live, but God came to us as man, Jesus. This is why the Father keeps telling us to “listen to Him.” When you listen to Jesus, you listen to the Father and the Spirit. When you believe in Jesus, you believe in the Father and Spirit. They always come together.
You will see God in all of His glory one day.
For those who do not believe in Jesus is will be a day of great fear and death. However, for those who are in Jesus Christ, it will be a day of great joy and celebration. On that day, all those who are in Christ will be able to be in the presence of God in all of His glory as we are raised uncorrupted by sin.
So, yes, some people have seen God in the form we could survive, but one day we will all see Him. By the grace of God, I pray you and I will see Him with joy and celebration.
Dear Jesus,
You have revealed the Father and the Spirit to us. Hold me steadfast in the faith You have given me that I would, one day…and every day after, see You, the Father, and the Spirit in Your glory and do so with great joy, forgiven of my sins and made fully righteous by Your grace.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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