To Encourage You

John 16:16 “after a little while, you will see me.”

In the verse above, Jesus is speaking to His apostles just before His trial and death.  Of course, in its context, Jesus was telling them that He was soon going to be killed, but that in a little while – just three days – they would see Him again, for He would rise.  However, this message is also true with respect to each and every one of us.  Although we don’t see Him with our physical eyes right now, the truth is that in a little while, each and every one of us will see Him.  Jesus has promised us that He is coming again to receive His followers, so that where He is, they might be also (John 14).  We are told that “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him” (Revelation 1:7). 

Notice, that it says “every eye . . . even those who pierced him.”  In other words, everyone who has put their faith and trust in Christ will see Him, and we long for that day, but also, all those who have not believed, including His executioners, will see Him as well.  For the one, this will be the greatest moment of their lives.  To the other, it will be the worst moment.  For the one we are told “we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). What a wonderful moment that will be.  That person will, indeed, be blessed, for “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).  But to the other, sadly, their experience will be far different.  When Jesus appears, these unbelievers will be “calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb’” (Revelation 6:16).  For the believer, Jesus’ eyes are filled with love.  For the unbeliever, “his eyes are like a flame of fire” (Revelation 19:12), which speaks of His judgment. 

So are you ready for that moment when you will see Him?  Are you ready for that moment when either He returns again, or you will die? For you see, either way, we will all come face to face with Him. 

May God help us to be ready for that moment so that it is truly a time of great blessing rather than a time of terror.  The difference is in how we view Him now.  For to the believer, Jesus’ message is always “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1).  And to the unbeliever, His message is always “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:1), for the One who learns to fear God now is the one who turns to Him for forgiveness of sin. And those who have their sins forgiven, are those also who long for the time when they will see Him, the One who is the lover of their souls.