What Shall We See?

“For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.”

“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.” Psalm 11:7; 16:11; 17:15; 140:13

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:4

Morning entered like a silent queen, resplendent in her grace and beauty, bringing every admirer to bow. Not a sound save for the lone hawk call, then whisper-whick-whinging close by, occasional twittering starlings, and distant clanking sheep bells as fluffy ones found early breakfast. It was the light that captured the gaze, radiant through clear air, and trees. A hint of holy heaven? (Exodus 3:1-6; 33:11,18; 34:29; Acts 9:3-5)

There are times and places we glimpse the radiance of God’s splendor on His earth or in His heavens, and our breath catches. His glory is reflected in all He has made to reveal His greatness, cause us to consider ourselves made in His image, and awaken praise. When we gaze at the glory and consider Him behind it, they pluck at heart strings in a melodious sense of longing for our eternal destiny. We shall see Him! (Psalm 8:5-6; 19:1-2; Romans 1:19)

Our sights are daily filled with movement, color, messages, and urgencies. Unless we decide to set apart time and space, and close off mental or practical distractions, we will fail to delight in the excellencies the Lord has placed all around. When we are still enough to seek Him, and implement margin in our schedules of all we deem important, we will find every kind of nourishment in the beauty, hope, and longing His glories awaken.

Do we look up often enough to taste and see the glory? Is our tempo of life so fast, our focus so stubbornly set, our schedule so frenzily filled that we never pause and take time to wonder? When we assess at the end of the day, have we spent any time on what lasts and nurtures the soul? (Psalm 34:8)

“Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.” ~Walter C. Smith (1867)

Lord of Light and glory, in all that occupies my vision here below, let me see and long for You, with expectancy, gratitude, and praise.