Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty. Isa. 33:17
Dear Lord Jesus, Isaiah’s promise summarizes the deepest longing in our hearts. Though we sabotage, repackage, and squander this longing in a myriad of ways, it is you that we want more than anything or anyone else. By the power of the Spirit, the daily mercies of heaven, and the unsearchable riches of your grace—free us to come more fully alive to this irrepressible truth. We want you!
We want to see you, Jesus—you who made us in your glorious image, have redeemed us for your eternal glory, and are returning for your consummate pleasure—the fulfillment of your great delight in us. Oh, hasten that Day of seeing you, that we may be made like you (1 John 3:1-3); of being with you, that our deepest craving for intimacy may be fulfilled; of no longer knowing you in part, but in the fullness of reserved for the Day of your return.
We want to see you, Jesus, in your unfiltered, undiminished, unabated beauty. Everything we call beautiful is a mere hint, a quiet whisper, and a vague shadow of the quintessential beauty, which is only found in you. We love beauty, because we were made by your and for you. Oh, hasten that marvelous Day—that Day in which we begin our eternal marveling, for surely it will take all of eternity just to begin fathoming the spectacle of your beauty and tasting the full measure of your love.
We want to see you, Jesus, in all of your kingly splendor—the monarch of mercy, who is presently working in all things for our good; you who have completely routed the dark enemy on our behalf; you who created, named and hung the stars for our fascination and joy; you who will, one Day return and finish making all things new. Who is the king of glory? It is you, Lord Jesus, only you.
Lord Jesus, continue to open the eyes of our hearts to see your beauty in the gospel, and everywhere else, until the Day we will finally see you as you are. Greatly hasten that Day. So very Amen we pray, in your grace-full and all glorious name.
