A couple of years ago our family went out to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and I was completely overwhelmed by the glory of God that was so visible there. His beauty and majesty... His power... All I could think of was David's words in Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that You are even mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?" God's compassion and love, side by side with His glory... It took my breath away!
Well that's how I felt as we continued our study in Revelation last week, Chapter 1:9-20...
In these verses Jesus is unveiled in a magnificent display of glory... As our High Priest, in His robe and golden sash, tending to His beloved church, represented by the seven golden lampstands. We see Him as the Divine Son of God...God Himself, the Ancient of Days... His eyes were blazing like fire... penetrating to the depths of our souls... Feet like bronze as He marches in judgment against those who would harm His beloved bride, the church... His glory shining like the sun in all of its brilliance... It is breath-taking... awe inspiring...
But there is this moment, when John is so overwhelmed by the vision of Jesus that he falls at His feet as though dead and Jesus reaches down and touches Him and tells him not to be afraid... The hands that touched the leper and healed him...the hands that put mud on the eyes of the blind man so he could see... the One who spit on His own hands and healed the deaf... Jesus, just revealed in all of His glory and power, reached out and touched John and reassured him. What an absolutely breath-taking vision of Jesus, one that we need to take with us wherever we go...
When we are afraid...Jesus reaches out and touches our hearts and whispers, "Do not be afraid." When we are suffering, He reminds us,"I am with you." When the world seems to be falling apart, He assures us, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
Our God of glory loves us beyond our wildest imagination. He is bigger than anything we can imagine...but He is more loving than we could ever hope for... I think the more I understand the vastness, the greatness, the glory of our Most High God...the more overwhelmed I become at the thought of His love and grace... Like David, my heart wonders in gratitude... "What is man that you are even mindful of him? The son of man that you care for him?"
4 comments:
Thank you for a wonderful reminder of how awesome our God really is!!!
This is so beautiful...and so real.
thanks fo much for giving me a devotional and things to ponder via your blog post.
stefanie
Sharla, that was beautiful! It's so true...the creator of the universe mindful of you and me? It's an overwhelming thought.
I am doing Jesus the One and Only study by Beth Moore at my church. Today, we were talking about Peter and it was clear through the text that this was not the first encounter between Jesus and Peter. However, when Jesus told Peter to throw out his net after not catching anything all night, Peter fell to the ground.
I can only imagine being overwhelmed by Jesus like that- his presence, his power, his authority. That presence that makes people fall down and submit and recognize him as Lord. Wow!
I wish I could her you teach!
Hugs,
April
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