Devotional Song: Go to this link - Please take the time to meditate on this powerful song sung by the amazing voice of Sandy Patti, singing We Shall Behold Him, … declaring that one day we shall see our Lord … FACE-TO-FACE.
=============
Highlight Passage: 2nd John 1:12 … [John’s declaration of the need for personal communication with those to whom he is writing.] … [NLT]
12 Well, I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to say it in a letter. For I hope to visit you soon and to talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.
============
Highlight Passage: 2nd John, Chapter 1 … GO TO THIS LINK … [NLT] …
============
Reference Passage #1: Philippians 1: 27 … [Desiring we live for our Lord as if we’ll see Him face-to-face soon.] … [NLT]
27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
Reference Passage #2: 1st Peter 1: 13 … [Always living in anticipation of seeing Jesus soon – face-to-face.] … [NLT]
13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.
My Journal for Today: Today so much of our human communication is electronic, with our lives being separated by digital devices and depersonalized in the process. It is sad when you see two young people, across the same room, communicating with one another via texting when they could just simply look up and dialog face-to-face.
One day, possibly soon, as Sandy Patti sings so powerfully in the song to which I’ve linked any readers today, we’re going to see Jesus … FACE-TO-FACE … in all of His glory as He comes for His beloved Bride, the Church. And three of Christ’s disciples, in the passages above, are asking the believers of their day if they’re ready for that moment, … that time when those of us who’ve lived in faith, with Christ as our Lord, will be with Him … FACE-TO-FACE … in glory. Are we living like we’re ready?
That was the very personal message of the three Apostles whom I’ve quoted from very personal letters they wrote to beloved brothers/sisters in Christ of their day. And as you can read in the highlight passage above from the Apostle John’s very personal letter to a Christian family, he so desired to be able to be with them, face-to-face; but he was forced to do the next best thing and send them his very personal thoughts in a hand written letter.
Have you ever noted how there are some times when the only way to communicate with any degree of power and reliability is to seek out the person or persons with whom you desire to interact and get face-to-face with them. An email cannot communicate your facial expressions or body language, can it? A text on a cell phone often uses abbreviated and coded language which simply does not convey the words adequately to get the message across. No, … there are just some times and for some reasons where the only way to relate to someone is … FACE-TO-FACE.
And John, Paul, and Peter were trying to get those whom they loved, … fellow believers, … to realize that, as Christians, they needed to live their lives as if their lives were communicating to the One Who would be coming to be with them … FACE-T0-FACE … for eternity. And that’s the way we should be living now, these millennia later, … as if we’ll see our Lord face to face tomorrow … or even today.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, I may see you today; but if I don’t, let me live my life in anticipation of that day. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
No comments:
Post a Comment