One day when I was brainstorming topics for new messages, tired, frustrated, and suffering from spiritual block, I decided to take a break. As I lean back in my chair, I glanced over to my right, and there was a small smudge on the wall that very much resembled the likeness of Jesus Christ. I could not believe it, ecstatic about this observation, I called everyone who was around to come and see Jesus! When everyone was gathered around, I showed them the area where the Jesus smudge was and I asked them “what do you see?” I found myself becoming frustrated with the crowd because what seemed to be clear to me was not resonating with the crowd no matter how long they stared. It wasn’t until I pointed out exactly what I saw, that they were able to see what was there before them all along...Jesus.
It was in this moment that I believe Jesus was telling me that a lot of us do not recognize Him even when He is right in front of our face. Why do we not recognize Him? I believe it is because we are too focused on ourselves and our desires, that we are oblivious to the fact that Jesus is waving His hands in our lives trying to get our attention. Jesus wants us to know that He is always here with us and one of the ways He shows Himself to us is through the miracles He performs within our lives. Now, when I say Jesus shows Himself to us through His miracles, we need to be careful not to define miracles too narrowly or too broadly, because Jesus is performing them all around us every day. However, the problem is, we do not have the eyes to see them because we are not focusing on Christ and trusting in His purpose for our lives. Jesus desperately wants to be visible in our lives and He is waving His hands right before us through the signs and miracles He performs. He is screaming out to us...Do You See Me Now?
The good news is that we are not the first people to suffer from spiritual blindness. The people during Jesus’ time also had trouble seeing Jesus for who He truly was. In John 8:19 Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who did not believe Jesus was the son of God. They are asking Him to show them His father who sent Him, giving reference to Jesus’ earthly father. Jesus replied “You’re looking right at me and you don’t see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father.” It is in this scripture Jesus tells us why we are so blind to His presence. Jesus is saying that we cannot view and understand things of the spiritual world through Earthly Lenses. The Pharisees were looking for Jesus’ Earthly father because they did not accept the truth that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and it was this refusal that prevented them from seeing the truth that was Jesus.
I have one takeaway this week and It is to open your eyes to the miracles going on in your life big or small, because that is when you will see Jesus. Recognize the breath in your lungs, the food in your belly, the ability to read this blog. Recognize...Jesus. Don’t allow Jesus to be right in front of you but because you are focused on the things of this world you do not see Him.Jesus wants us to recognize Him in our lives and just like when He performed all the signs and miracles for the Jews, Priest, and Pharisees so they could see who He really was (the Son of God), I believe Christ is doing the same for us today, and is asking...DO YOU SEE ME NOW?!
Milton Harris III first accepted Christ at the age of seventeen when he decided to join First Baptist Church of Glenarden. This was not a quick decision; he actually spent four years attending services as a visitor before making the life-changing decision to give his life to Christ. Religion and God were not something that was introduced and pushed upon him growing up. He knew of God, but never had a relationship with Him. After that fateful Sunday morning service, his spiritual journey began, but slowly. After five years of studying and strengthening his walk with Christ, Milton accepted the calling he knew God had placed upon his life for preaching the word of God. This was an overwhelming and very intimidating task initially, until he suddenly realized all God required of him was to be of pure heart and to be himself. In addition to preaching the word of God, he works as a full-time U.S. Capitol Police Officer, mentors junior high school boys as a football coach, and has been invited for the last four years to speak at an annual Men’s Conference on the importance of men stepping up to be the best fathers and husbands they are capable of being. Milton and his wife Tracy reside in Brandywine, MD with their lively little boy Jayden.
It was in this moment that I believe Jesus was telling me that a lot of us do not recognize Him even when He is right in front of our face. Why do we not recognize Him? I believe it is because we are too focused on ourselves and our desires, that we are oblivious to the fact that Jesus is waving His hands in our lives trying to get our attention. Jesus wants us to know that He is always here with us and one of the ways He shows Himself to us is through the miracles He performs within our lives. Now, when I say Jesus shows Himself to us through His miracles, we need to be careful not to define miracles too narrowly or too broadly, because Jesus is performing them all around us every day. However, the problem is, we do not have the eyes to see them because we are not focusing on Christ and trusting in His purpose for our lives. Jesus desperately wants to be visible in our lives and He is waving His hands right before us through the signs and miracles He performs. He is screaming out to us...Do You See Me Now?
The good news is that we are not the first people to suffer from spiritual blindness. The people during Jesus’ time also had trouble seeing Jesus for who He truly was. In John 8:19 Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who did not believe Jesus was the son of God. They are asking Him to show them His father who sent Him, giving reference to Jesus’ earthly father. Jesus replied “You’re looking right at me and you don’t see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father.” It is in this scripture Jesus tells us why we are so blind to His presence. Jesus is saying that we cannot view and understand things of the spiritual world through Earthly Lenses. The Pharisees were looking for Jesus’ Earthly father because they did not accept the truth that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and it was this refusal that prevented them from seeing the truth that was Jesus.
I have one takeaway this week and It is to open your eyes to the miracles going on in your life big or small, because that is when you will see Jesus. Recognize the breath in your lungs, the food in your belly, the ability to read this blog. Recognize...Jesus. Don’t allow Jesus to be right in front of you but because you are focused on the things of this world you do not see Him.Jesus wants us to recognize Him in our lives and just like when He performed all the signs and miracles for the Jews, Priest, and Pharisees so they could see who He really was (the Son of God), I believe Christ is doing the same for us today, and is asking...DO YOU SEE ME NOW?!
 |
| Milton Harris |
No comments:
Post a Comment