The other night I was over at a friend’s house with a group of people. Also known as a party.
The host, we’ll call him Bob, is quite the story teller. But the good kind. The kind that when he starts on a story everyone else starts listening. The kind that never touches his food, and we’re all leaned over our plates with open ears.
But he doesn’t just tell random stories. He tells stories about powerful encounters he’s had with the Lord. He tells about prophetic promises and insights that he’s been given. And we all are attentive.
One of my favorite things about Bob is the language he uses. His vocabulary concerning the kingdom of God is familiar enough that you know what he’s talking about, but different enough to make you think.
There’s one thing he says in particular that has always grabbed my attention. When he talks about revival he talks about the lost faces of Jesus being found again. When he talks about community he talks about us seeing a new face of Jesus within each other.
The Faces of Jesus.
Finding them in others. Finding them in ourselves. I love that phrase. It gives me permission to honor other people who may get on my nerves. When I look for a face of Jesus in them I am doing much more than tolerating them. I am discovering God.
Even beyond people and into circumstances. I can discover a lost face of Jesus when I’m doing the dishes, running errands or even in the prayer room.
Ask the Lord to reveal a new face of Jesus to you.
Tien said:
That’s good, and even in concepts that seem amorphous and multi-faceted like culture and subjects in school; there is a reason that they are here. There is a face of God within each tribe, within the laws of science and math, that I have yet to find. The mystery, the treasure hunt. It’s glorious, thanks.
Posted on August 7, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Batsirai said:
Golden.
When we are on the lookout for His face… it also stops us from feeling content or self-assured with the faces we have seen and feel comfortable with.
I was with some friends this weekend, and I noticed some were pretty cynical about ‘church-related things’ - and they are God loving Christians, but just a bit jaded and disillusioned with ‘church’ as we know it. Sad really. But I got pretty judgmental inside and felt they should have a better attitude - given they were all leaders. But I think would have seen things different if I had looked for the faces of Jesus within them, and even better - tried to show them a face of Jesus.
May the faces of Jesus shine through us… radiate Lord… unmistakably.
Posted on August 8, 2007 at 10:19 am
Hollie said:
Sweet. It helps put an honor (aka awe) for other people in my heart when I think that I’m (in a way) looking into the face of Christ. Like you said, even if it’s someone who gets on my nerves, if do a double-take, I’ll see the imprint of His image on them.
The circumstance thing is a good point, too. It hits me just right, especially right now.
My thanks to Bob.
Posted on August 9, 2007 at 3:43 pm
rateng said:
This hits home, Shawn. Esp. since I’m reading Rick Joyner’s THE CALL and he is told pretty much the same thing in his vision. To love and unity in the Body!
Posted on August 9, 2007 at 6:06 pm