LHM Daily Devotions - Two Ways of Looking at Jesus

"Two Ways of Looking at Jesus"

Apr. 24, 2019

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades."

~ Revelation 1:12-18 (ESV)

This description of Jesus in John's book of Revelation is an awesome one. John describes Him using extreme language: He wears the golden sash of a king. His hair is pure white, calling to mind God's title as the Ancient of Days. His eyes are like fire; His voice like roaring water. His face is like the sun in full strength. His feet are like bronze—no weakness here, unlike the statue with clay feet mentioned in Daniel chapter 2. And His words are like a double-edged sword, having the power of life and death. No wonder John fell at His feet as though dead!

What a contrast this was to one of the last times John had seen Jesus, the night of the Last Supper. There Jesus wore not the sash of a king, but the towel of a slave as He washed the feet of the disciples. There His humanity, His humility, was on full display—ordinary hair, eyes, face, feet. His words were still the same—words with the power of life and death—but they could be ignored or refused (Judas did it). And John did not fall at His feet as though dead on that occasion. Instead, He felt secure and loved to the point that He could lean back against Jesus' chest to ask Him something.

These two pictures capture something important about Jesus. He is the Savior who loves us so tenderly, who welcomes us as He did the babies and children who came to Him, lifting them up in His arms. He is also the Lord God Almighty, Maker of all things, and Ruler over all creation.

How are we to respond to such a God? One moment we seek comfort in Him; the next we fall at His feet in awe. It is hard to reconcile these two responses, and yet both are real—both are valid—both are right. And maybe we don't need to reconcile these responses, but instead to trust the Holy Spirit to guide our entire faithful response to Jesus, at all times and in all places. For Jesus is our awesome God and Maker; He is also our loving Savior, who died and rose for us.

THE PRAYER: Holy Lord, You are both merciful and awesome. Help me to trust in You always. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
This description of Jesus in John's book of Revelation is an awesome one.