Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [60] We Shall See His Face

The Expressive Face

Lost in Lockdown

Today, for the first time in many weeks, I shall meet a friend in person. Sort of. We will sit two metres apart and chat across the empty space. We have zoomed most weeks, and that has been better than speaking on the phone, but in terms of communication things run like this:

Half-dimensional communication = texts and emails (it's hard to read any emotion in these black and white assemblies of letters and words)

One-dimensional communication = telephone calls (you can hear emotion, but are not sure you've caught it right, and deception is possible without a face)

Two-dimensional communication = Zoom and the like (getting better but still lacks the whole-body communication, the twitching toe, the folded arms...)

Three-dimensional = in person (the only way to communicate fully)

During lockdown we have to be very careful about communication levels half to two, because we can easily be misunderstood and we can easily misunderstand.

The psychologists tell us that half of the information we pass on to one another is done via the body. The words pass on something like 10%, the tone a further 40%, the body communciates the remaining 50%, or roughly so.

One reason people feel "zoomed out" under lockdown is because we are unable to fully communicate with our family, friends and work colleagues, with the mediums of 1-D phones and 2-D zoom.

The Incarnation is Three- Dimensional

When God wanted to speak to us, he did so fully and completely through the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. He spoke through the prophets and the other writings of the Old Testament in written black and white words. Words are stable and unchanging and pass on static truth. Christians are people of a Book.

But when God wanted to communicate fully to us, he came in Person; it's the only way to be fully understood.

And in this God sets the example for us.

If we have something to say to someone, we must say it in person, in living 3-D person. If we want to be fully understood, which we do.

The loving apostle, John, wrote to his friends like this: "I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." (2 John 1:12) Joyful communication can only take place in 3-D.

Let's be careful during lockdown that misunderstandings don't build up because half-D words or even 1-D phone calls were taken the wrong way. Give your brother or sister the benefit of the doubt!

And perhaps lockdown will generate in us a longing for 3-D communication and an appreciation for this seemingly simple blessing.

We Shall See Him Face to Face

So to our divine promise of today: One day we shall see the Lord Jesus face to face:

"They will see his face" (Revelation 22:4)

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

For now we live by faith, not sight. And part of living by faith is that our relationship with Christ is by faith. Yes we have his life-giving Spirit living within our hearts, yes we have been united with him mystically. But something is missing. We all feel it and know it. It's one of the reasons we long for heaven.

A young Christian was talking to a group of older believers about heaven and without thinking too much about what he was saying or implying, he told us his vision of heaven: a big long cue to see Jesus! He wanted to be near the front.

We smiled but understood his point.

Heaven is about, as some of the mystics of old put it, the Beatific Vision: seeing the Lord Jesus Christ in person. The veil is gone, the uncertainty evaporates and we see the gracious, godly, loving, welcoming, holy look on his face. We're finally home.

We shall be like Him

My young Christian friend got the "cue in heaven thing" wrong.

It was if he did not want to see us, his brothers and sisters, in heaven, just Jesus! But in heaven, God's people will immediately become like Christ and when we see one another we will also be seeing the beauty of the One and Only.

We shan't need to cue.

Summing it all Up

If you are like me, you are often disappointed by the relationship you have with Christ in this world. The fault is entirely on my side. Sin veils, too little faith hides, and lack of physical presence plays its part.

And then I remember that this is the way it will always be in this world, because I am not home yet. One day we will see Jesus face to face.

Let's remember in our spiritual disappointments that we are not home yet.

But we will be one day, one day very soon.

Soon and very soon we are going to see the king
Soon and very soon we are going to see the king
Soon and very soon we are going to see the king
Hallelujah hallelujah
We are going to see the king

A HYMN FOR THE DAY

At my mother's Thanksgiving Service we sang this lovely hymn, her all-time favourite. Forgive the indulgence.

Face to face with Christ my Saviour
Face to face, what will it be?
When with rapture I behold Him
Jesus Christ who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold Him
Far beyond the starry sky
Face to face in all His glory
I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now, I see Him
With the darkling veil between
But a blessed day is coming
When His glory shall be seen.

Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face, to see and know
Face to face with my Redeemer
Jesus Christ who loves me so.

Mrs Frank Breck

You can hear it HERE.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Our loving Father in heaven,

We thank you for this new day.

We thank you for the birds that sing, the plants that grow and the amazing creatures you have made.

The earth is indeed filled with your glory!

But we thank you that through your Son you have revealed your heart of love, compassion and grace to sinners.

We read of his love and view your love.

We long to see our brothers and sisters again, but we long more to see you.

Hasten the day, we pray.

Amen.

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash