Every Eye # 3

Every Eye # 3

Or look at it in another way. Here is a man who has long set his heart on the accomplishment of some great and noble object. It has been his one aim and prayer for many a year. Perhaps it has been the building of a church in some poor or neglected neighborhood. Perhaps it has been the founding of an asylum for orphan children. And now the desire of a lifetime has been fulfilled. What untold pleasure and thankfulness it awakens within him as he sees the reward of his toil and the answer to so many prayers!

And in the believer's sight of the coming King, something similar to every one of these elements of grateful joy will be found, and will burst forth in fullest measure. It will be gladness in its highest form, and with no single cause of alloy.

I remember well an old servant of Christ who faithfully followed the Master upwards of sixty years. A few years before his death his sight suddenly failed him. He sought advice, but he was told that it was impossible to provide a cure. He would never see again while he lived. A bright and happy thought awoke within the heart of the good man. "Then the next person I shall see will be my Saviour!" said this faithful servant of his Lord.

And what that sight will be to a Christian man, who can express?

In that sight, all heart-joys meet. Raise your thoughts to the very highest conceptions of sanctified hope and expectation - and that moment will surpass them all.

Here the desire of the soul will be fully satisfied. We read that "hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." Through long centuries has the Church waited for the return of her Lord.

Year after year has the earnest and wakeful believer been looking for "that blessed hope," even the glorious appearing of the Son of God. And now the day has come. No more waiting, weary days. No more triumphing of the wicked. No more hiding the pure truth of God beneath the covering of human traditions. No more sorrow or sin to trouble the Christian's heart. The blessed day has come with all its rich treasury of deliverance, peace, felicity and victory.

Here mutual love will be abundantly satisfied. The Bridegroom will rejoice in the Bride - and the Bride will be satisfied forever in the presence of her Lord. It is said by Solomon, "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing," and we find it true in our present state. But it will not be true then. "Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty!" - and this sight will be enough. It will be the one great joy of the redeemed forever. To see Christ, to be with Him, to look deeper into His loving heart, and to share that love through endless ages - this will be the chief element in the pleasures which are at God's right hand.

"The King there in His beauty
Without a veil is seen;
It were a well-spent journey
Though seven deaths lay between.

The Lamb with His fair army
Does on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwells
In Emmanuel's land.

The Bride eyes hot her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of Grace.

Not at the crown He gives,
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel's land."

Here will be the transforming power of this sight. Consider the words of John in his First Epistle, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it does not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!" There will be perfect conformity to His image. Sin will be annihilated in the soul, and no temptations ever be able to stir one thought of evil. This mortal body will put on its garments of glory and immortality. In heavenly purity, in unwearied brightness and activity, in an atmosphere of love, born of the love that inflames the heart of Christ - the risen saint will be satisfied as he awakes in the likeness of His Saviour. And with the sight of Christ Himself, there will be ten thousand sights that will multiply indefinitely the Christian's joy. What will it be to behold angel and archangel, cherubim and seraphim, and all doing homage to Him whom we love?

What will it be to see the saints of olden times, prophets, apostles, martyrs - those whose words have been a guide to us along our journey here? What will it be to see those who have been dear to us in the flesh, and who fell asleep in Christ before ourselves? What will it be to see those to whom God has made us instruments of spiritual good - who through our prayers, efforts, or influence have been led to the Saviour's feet?

~George Everard~

(continued with # 4)