Veiled Beauty

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ‘ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” Matthew 11:18-19

    I used to wait for God to reveal Himself in ways that would convince me, once and for all, of His love, provision, and power.  “If only you would do this”, I would plead.  Though I set up the criterion, God always did His own thing, His own way, and I sulked.  I didn’t understand that God refused to be molded into the Messiah of my own making.  He is complex.  His ways are mysterious.  And while He works right under my nose, I often don’t recognize Him because He is more interested in the long-term prognosis of my faith while I am caught up with the immediate.  I don’t know what I need.  He does.

• He comes as a Judge.  I must endure the convicting power of the Holy Spirit before I can know the joy of being granted forgiveness.  Only when I am overcome for my need of a Savior, will His mercy be sweet.
• He comes as a Counselor.  Just when I think I have things figured out, His wisdom exposes my thinking as foolish.
• He comes as a Comforter.  When I want to ignore my wounds, He comes and nudges me to tell the truth of my hurt.
• He comes as a King.  When I want to be judge and jury over those who have wounded me and those I love, He encourages me to abdicate my rights to rule and place the matters into His hands.

    Jesus is beautiful.  His beauty is often hidden to me when my experience of Him as Counselor, Comforter, King, or Judge causes me to squirm.  My discomfort keeps me from looking up into the radiance of His face.  Only as I am a bit further down the road can I can see that His revelation was life-giving.  My experiences of the many faces of Jesus have all led me to spacious places; rich pastures where there is deliverance, freedom, and joy.

Your face is beautiful today, no matter what my initial reaction is to your revelation.  Open my heart to the truth of your loveliness.