Weekend Words

 From Beside the Still Waters...

Seeing Jesus - Read: Luke 19:1-10, Revelation 1:4-7

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him." - Revelation 1:7

Today's Bible reading tells about Zacchaeus trying to see Jesus in a crowd.  He was short of stature, so he ran out ahead and climbed into a sycamore tree to see Jesus.  Zacchaeus got the surprise of his life when Jesus saw him and called him by name!  Jesus took special interest in Zacchaeus, and he experienced salvation even though the people considered him a sinner.  Zacchaeus showed real signs of repentance by his promise to give to the poor and to restore fourfold what he had taken wrongfully from others.  

Jesus takes special interest in each one of us too, and He wants us to receive salvation.  Zacchaeus saw Him in His human body, but we see Him with eyes of faith.  John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word, so as we read and study the Word, we are seeing Jesus.  

In Luke 23:8, Herod was "exceeding glad" when he saw Jesus, because he had long desired to see Him.  However, Herod's motive was not right.  He hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle, but Jesus wouldn't do that.  In fact, Herod probably never heard Jesus speak a word.

After Jesus rose from the dead. His followers saw Him but nobody else did.  He appeared to His disciples a number of times, sometimes behind closed doors.  Only His disciples saw Him ascend into heaven.  Soon afterwards His followers began boldly preaching that Jesus had risen from the dead, and they were strongly opposed for it, but they would not stop telling people that they had seen Jesus alive after His resurrection.  Today's key verse says that someday "every eye shall see him."  We as His followers can already see Him today, and we need to watch every day for His return.

Benuel Glick - Palmer, MA

From In Green Pastures...

The Touch of Christ

No one can read the gospel story without being impressed with the marvelous power of Christ's touch.  Wherever it was felt blessing came.  We find ourselves sometimes mourning the loss of his touch, and wishing that we could feel it and get its benediction.  But really we have not lost it.  Christ has indeed passed out of our sight into the heavens, but his hand is stretched out still.  It is laid just as of old upon sufferers, and has lost none of its power to comfort, to heal, to open blind eyes.  Christ lays his hand upon our heads every time we bow at his feet in prayer.  When we are in trouble he comes and comforts us with his warm touch of sympathy.  When we are sick or in pain he is by our bed, and his hand is laid on our fevered brow to give rest and peace.

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus - 

To reach out and touch Him and say that we love Him.

Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen:

O Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.