Just as I was getting ready to dive off the diving board into the swimming pool at a military base in the Far East, a voice behind me yelled, “Hey Alan, you there, remember me?” It so startled me that I slipped off the board and fell in the water. After I climbed out, this very tall young man walked over and shoved his hand in mine, shaking it vigorously and saying how good it was to see me again after all these years. [pullquote4 align=”right” style=”width:300px;”]Recognize Christ?
They recognized not Christ the Lord,
Though He worked miracles in their midst.
They came in the garden with swords,
An angry mob shaking their fists.
They watched Him turn water into wine,
And open a blind man’s eyes;
Cast demons into a herd of swine —
And rebuke winds and boisterous skies.
They hailed Him, “King of the Jews!”
On a Cross they nailed His hands and feet.
His love and forgiveness they refused,
Their hearts bruised by their own deceit.
They stood by as He healed a blind man;
As Mary broke an alabaster box at His feet.
Blinded by religion’s futile legalistic plan,
Yet grace remains by Way of the Mercy Seat.[/pullquote4]He reminisced for ten minutes about how we were on the boxing and gymnastics teams together and what great friends we were. The only problem was that I couldn’t remember him at all. Not a thing about him was familiar.
The same thing happened to Jesus but in a different way. The religious leaders, especially those who considered themselves to be custodians of the oracles of God, either refused or failed to recognize the Savior of the world, the Son of God. Why? Clearly they lacked spiritual discernment and were blinded by a man-made religion, thus failing to recognize the true Christ. Different era but the same tune – people still fail to see Him for who He really is, and so they miss the benefits of possessing true joy.
No faces from antiquity are reproduced more often than that of Jesus of Nazareth yet you need more than a visual to help you recognize Him. Being a religious person or even attending a church doesn’t automatically guarantee that you will know Christ personally. Paul was a very educated and religious man, yet the scales on his eyes kept him from seeing and following Jesus. Once they were removed by the power of prayer, his life was changed forever. God’s spotless Lamb eagerly waits just beyond The Mercy Seat to save, heal and deliver. Look for him today. He’s always close at hand, waiting to guide you beyond the emptiness and through the door of meaningful and lasting fellowship.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2.9).
Climbing the ladder of hope is well worth the effort. Once at the top, we can see Christ and receive a greater revelation of Him and the road ahead.
