What Do You See?

Scripture
 
John 1:29   The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Observation

John the Baptist declares what he sees in the man Jesus. He may have made the connection to the historic words of prophesy in Isaiah 53 and recognized that this was no ordinary man. God revealed to the Baptist that this was the Messiah. In these words John declared more than that which meets the eye. This man would become the sacrifice for all of humanity and would provide a pathway for the sin of the world to be removed. The hearers may not have understood because they couldn’t see beyond the seemingly normal exterior of the man who stood before them. Only through God’s power could John see who Jesus really was.

Application

Just like John, God provides us with the ability to see Christ. But it was John who had to declare who it was that he really saw because those around couldn’t see Jesus for who he really was. In the case of John the Baptist he had to declare that this one was to be the Messiah.

Jesus has already been revealed to us as the Messiah and his life, death and resurrection provides the pathway for us to see and participate with him in this world. Now, we are challenged to see the hand of God in our daily lives and to recognize when and where we are to be at work in the kingdom. We will all encounter Jesus in one form or another today. The question will be whether we see him or not and how we will respond. We read in Matthew’s gospel: “Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’  Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ “ (Matthew 25:44 -45) John the Baptist saw Jesus for who he was and declared his Messianic role. We are to see Jesus in the needy of this world and respond as Spirit-filled believers who demonstrate Christ’s activity in and through us, reflecting the love found in the Trinity.

We will all journey through this day and encounter people with needs. Will we only see the exterior and quickly move on, or will we give space to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives to see more? There is always more going on than what meets the eye. We must pray for God’s provision to see what God sees. When we see in this way we will be moved by God’s passions and respond with a heart of love. John the Baptist was motivated for ministry because he really saw Jesus. What will you see today?

Prayer

Lord, please help me to see you and to follow you today. Amen.

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