I tucked my legs beneath me and curled up on the couch sipping a warm cup of coffee. Opening the pages of My Utmost for His Highest, I read Oswald Chambers’ wise words:
“Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many are partakers of God’s grace who have never seen Jesus. When once you have seen Jesus, you can never be the same, other things do not appeal as they used to do.”
I pondered these words for quite some time seeking understanding.
My thoughts wandered to John 20.
Mary had returned to Jesus’ tomb the morning after the Sabbath and discovered the stone had been rolled away. Alarmed, she ran to tell the disciples that Jesus’ body had been taken.
The disciples, after seeing for themselves that Jesus’ body was gone returned to their homes.
But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping, her love for Jesus overflowing.
Her Lord was gone. The Jesus she had loved, the One whom she walked with and talked with and had forgiven her of much, was no longer alive.
Now it seemed that everything stopped here with this empty tomb. I believe she felt desolation — emptiness. Had it all been a dream? Had her life really been changed by this Jesus of Nazareth?
But then she turned to see a man standing there.
It wasn’t until Jesus spoke her name, “Mary!” that she recognized Him. He spoke her name. She knew His voice.
She knew. His. voice …
I believe this is the moment when Mary’s relationship with Jesus transformed — she encountered the power of His resurrection.
He who once was dead, He who bore her sins upon the cross — she saw it, she knew it to be true — HE was alive and fulfilling everything He had ever spoken to her.
It was a defining moment.
Maybe this is when our relationship with Jesus moves from Savior to Lord. Maybe this is when we move from being saved to seeing Jesus — to fully understanding the magnificence of who He is.
That moment when He calls us by name and we recognize His voice.
In that moment our eyes are opened to see Him, to know Him in His fullness.
We walk in the understanding that “He is mine and I am His — His Beloved.”
In that moment we, too, can say, “I’ve just seen Jesus, and I’ll never be the same.”
Selah
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
I’ve never thought of this either. What a an extraordinary revelation! Thank you for sharing it with us in this beautiful post. 🙂
It’s profound, isn’t it? I believe it’s the difference in Jesus being my Savior and Jesus being my Lord. Lord indicates rich and intimate relationship to me. Love you Marcie girl 🙂
“In the moment our eyes are opened to see Jesus, our lives are forever changed”…..thank you Jesus!!
I know!! Words cannot adequately describe that moment! Thanks for stopping by Jo-Ann 🙂
I’ve been afraid to share this but I’m asking God for the courage. When I thought I had a stroke a few months back, I cried out to Jesus. My uncle had died of a brain hemorrhage and my father died of a stroke. I asked Jesus, please I don’t want to die yet. I laid down on my couch very afraid and scared, but I can’t deny what God did any longer. I looked up and saw a vision of Jesus interceding to the Father on my behalf. My husband came home and checked me out, and no longer was my left arm limp, no longer did I walk sideways. How do I hold Him in? It’s like telling a bird it can’t fly. I am suffering again from something I got a week ago. I’ve lost 8 pounds, and though I’m struggling to believe God for this breakthrough, I will praise Him and thank Him in all things, cause He deserves it always. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. I will trust in Him.