John 1:29-34
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I told you about when I said, "Someone else will come. He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born." I didn't know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him.
I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. Before this I didn't know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, "You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit." I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you have ever been to an airport – particularly one in a major city – you have probably seen people standing at the gates holding signs that say things like “Smith” or “Adams Party” or ones that bear the name of a business, like XYZ Company. The driver holding the sign does not know the people he/she is collecting, but the people needing a ride will recognize this person by the sign bearing their name. Perhaps you have been given directions to someone’s office or place of business, and someone said to you, “You’ll know him right away – he has a dark beard, thick glasses, and dark curly hair.” Or maybe someone said, “Look for the tall girl with the blond hair,” or “Ask for Tom – tell them Bill sent you.”
Maybe you have said later, “I would have known So-and-so anywhere – your description was spot on!” Or maybe you have said to someone you just met, “Your reputation precedes you… XYZ has told me a lot about you already!”
We’ve been told a lot about Jesus… as much or more than John the Baptist! The question is… would we – do we – recognize Him? We see artists’ renderings of Jesus… how they believe He looked as a mortal man. Yet in the book Heaven is for Real, 4-year-old Colton Burpo looked at picture after picture and insisted, “That’s not Jesus!” When he was shown a painting by a 10-year-old girl who had experienced her own brush with death and a visit to heaven, he was so excited and told his parents that this was the picture of Jesus!
Now, I don’t know if Colton is right… I’ve seen a copy of the painting, and it is compelling – but I don’t know if it’s really Jesus in the flesh. But I do know this… when I get to heaven, I will know Him instantly! Meanwhile, I want to know Him now…to recognize when He speaks to me… to hear His instructions and follow His lead. I want to feel His arms embracing me even today… and to bask in His comfort, joy and peace. I hope you want this, too.
We have “signs and wonders” all around us. We have information and indications from Jesus about how to manage every single minute of the day… but we have to recognize Him and acknowledge His presence. Just as John knew about Jesus… just as he recognized God’s anointing of Him – the sign of the dove - we must recognize Jesus now… the “signs” of His presence and His power in our own lives. Are you hearing from God? Do you know Jesus… do you really know Him? Are you paying attention? Isn’t it time you did?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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