ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ME?!?

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 26:22

Some have said, "This was spoken to the disciples. It's saying when they loose Jesus they're going to be sad. But then when they see the risen Savior they're going to be happy to see Jesus alive! We'll finally have that kind of joy when we see Jesus face to face. And I believe there will be a new level of joy when we see Jesus - a new level of existence! But I also believe this promise of joy that no one can take away is not just for the original disciples, but for us as well!

If you look carefully in this chapter there's already a verse where Jesus says, the disciples would see him again.

John 16:16 “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

The one I just read says, "Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

What's the difference? Nothing is in the Word of God by accident. I believe that Jesus is making a point when he says, "you will see me," and he's making a different point when he says, "I will see you!" When he says "you will see me," obviously, he's talking to the disciples in the room with him. But then later in this talk with them, he says, "I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

There's something powerful about Jesus seeing his people. It's not just saying, "hey I see you!" There is some kind of supernatural power released when he looks at his people! Check out the following verses:

Psalms 13:3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death.

Isaiah 64:9 Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all your people.

Numbers 6:24-26 The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

In the comic book and movie Superman always had heat-vision. He could just look at something and burn a hole through it. I really believe there is something powerful that happens in your life when the risen Savior, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, turns his gaze in your direction!

When he looks at you, life happens!
When he looks at you, grace happens!
When he looks at you, peace happens!
When he looks at you, joy happens - and nobody can take that joy away!

When Thomas doubted that the other disciples had seen Jesus alive, Jesus appeared to Thomas and said, "blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe!" You don't have to see Jesus in the flesh in order to have this joy - he only has to see you!

2Corinthians 4:6 says, "For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

2Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Praise God, you don't have to actually see the physical Jesus walk into your home in order to reflect his glory! As long as he sees you, the light of his glory will shine in your life and make everything beautiful! Sometimes when we pray, I like to turn my head toward heaven - although in my physical eyes I just see a ceiling, in my spirit I believe the light of the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus is pouring more and more of that joy into my life! And just like facing the sun will tan skin or energize solar panels, I believe he's burning out all the ugliness of sin and making my life beautiful with his glory!

1Peter 1:8 says, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy..." How can they be filled with joy when the haven't seen him physically? Because He has seen them! When they believed in Him, He looked upon them and made all things new in their lives!

[Photo by John Whittington ©2009 - Panama City Beach at Sunset]