Take a New Look at Jesus

 

Most everyday, I read some of Philip Yancey's devotional book Grace Notes.   Yancey offers in the book excerpts of his various writings  for each day of the year.   In an excerpt for November, Yancey shares the story about a little girl who was heading down the hospital hallway to get her first look at her newborn baby brother.   Knowing with certainty that the infant must have insider information about God since he had just arrived in this world after coming from heaven, she peeked into the basinet and asked this question:   "Quick, tell me what God is like?"  

 I suspect that little girl is not the only one who wants to know the answer of that question.    Whether we be a deep person of faith or whether we skeptical about even the existence of God, all of us at some point in our life want to have a deeper insight into God.   In Luke 2, we hear the story of a man named Simeon.   While his health  might have been feeble because he was advanced in years, he was strong in his faith in the Lord.  The Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Messiah.   At the same time that Simeon was in the temple one day, there  also were Mary and Joseph bringing the infant Christ for the rites of dedication as the Jewish law required.    We do not know exactly how Simeon encountered Mary and Joseph.   I wonder if those new parents were frightened when Simeon took their newborn child in his arms?      I wonder how Luke knew this story as he wrote his gospel?   Was it shared with him by Mary?      Luke tells us the words that Simeon uttered as he held that newborn child from Mary's womb in his arms:    "“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all nations."     Simeon knew when he peeked into the eyes of the infant Christ child that he had seen God.   

During these early days of 2021,   I encourage you to take  a new look at Jesus.   Notice that I did not say for you to take a new look at the church.   The church is not perfect now and it will never will be perfect because it is filled with people like you and I who are saved only by grace through faith.   I encourage you to take a new look at Jesus.   Study the  words of  the gospels that tell us about the life and death of Jesus.   Pray again or pray for the first time even though it might feel clumsy if prayer is not something you do regularly.   Take a new look at Jesus in these 2021 days.   If you do and really and earnestly give him a chance, you will discover that He is the answer to all your questions in your life.  Have a blessed and joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

  PRAYER

            O God,  I believe; help me in my unbelief.   Forgive me for the times that I have focused on the wrong things in life.   Help me, Lord, to give you a chance in my life;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.