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The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
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Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
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Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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LESSONS OF JOB
(Part 32)
SEEING GOD, SEEKING GOD
December 4,
2009
Today’s readings again give us insights into our theme for next year.
We start off with a verse from Isaiah, that speaks about awe and
reverence for God.
“When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall
keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in
awe of the God of Israel.” (Is 29:23)
Isaiah refers to Jacob, and his children are the Israelites. God’s
people will be in awe of Him when they see His mighty works. To see is
to witness, to experience. The mighty works of God are all around us --
His awesome creation, the wonder of life, the many miracles one
experiences from day to day.
Being blind
But the world is blind to these wonders. They are taken for
granted. They are unappreciated. Worse, the world has become destructive
of these mighty works of God. Just look at environmental degradation all
around us, destroying God’s creation. Just look at the scourge of
abortion, destroying life in the womb.
Since we are blind, we need to see. We need to have both physical and
spiritual sight. We receive sight when we turn to Jesus.
Two blind men did just that. They followed and approached Jesus. Jesus
touched their eyes “and their eyes were opened.” (Mt 9:30a). Isaiah
says that “the eyes of the blind shall see.” (Is 29:18b).
In order for us to see, we need to turn to Jesus. In order for us to
know where we are to go and how we are to live our lives, we need to
turn to Jesus. Just like the two blind men who sought Jesus’ help, our
prayer should be: “Lord, show me your way; lead me on a level path”
(Ps 27:11).
Seeing God
When we do turn to Jesus and allow him to restore our sight, what
happens? What is that right path that God has for us?
First, we will experience a reversal of fortunes, for the better. The
world is in darkness and sin; we need to be brought into the light and
to a life of holiness. There is oppression and injustice in the world;
we need to experience the justice and righteousness of God. Knowing
Jesus and allowing him to transform our lives will result in blessings.
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The
lowly and the poor will find joy (Is 29:19). The lowly and the poor
today live miserable lives. But in Christ they will rejoice.
-
The
unjust oppressors will be done away with (Is 29:20-21). These
oppressors today commit injustices at will, with impunity, with no
fear of being taken to account. Evil reigns. But God will exact
judgment, in His time and in His own way.
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Those
who err in spirit will acquire understanding and instruction (Is
29:24). Many are lost, living according to the wisdom of the world,
which leads to destruction. In Jesus we will be guided along the
right path, receiving godly wisdom.
Second, our
lives will be characterized by hope, joy and trust.[1]
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We can
hope in the Lord. “Wait for the Lord, take courage; be
stouthearted, wait for the Lord!” (Ps 27:14). We hope because we
see God’s love and care for us. God will never abandon us. His
love and care are greater than what we experience even from our
earthly parents. “Even if my father and mother forsake me, the
Lord will take me in.” (Ps 27:10).
-
We will
have joy in Christ. “I will offer in his tent sacrifices with
shouts of joy” (Ps 27:6b). Knowing that God is always there to
care for us, knowing that we can always turn to Him in the
challenges of our lives, such is cause for great joy.
-
We trust
in Jesus. “Though war be waged against me, even then do I
trust.” (Ps 27:3b). Because we trust, we need never fear. Fear is
the opposite of trust. “Though an army encamp against me, my heart
does not fear; though war be waged against me, even then do I
trust.” (Ps 27:3). Why will fear be banished in our lives? If God
is my savior who redeems me from darkness and sin, if God is my
refuge to shelter me from harm, if God is my light to show me the
way, then I need never be afraid. “The Lord is my light and my
salvation; whom do I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom
am I afraid?” (Ps 27:1).
Third, when we see the works of God’s hands, when we become in awe of
Him, then we will show Him proper reverence. We are creatures of the
omnipotent Creator. We are sinners redeemed by the Savior. We are slaves
of the divine Master. As such, our proper posture of reverence and awe
brings us to worship. “I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.”
(Ps 27:6c).
Fourth, having experienced the mighty hand of God, we will be led to
proclaim Him to all. We become evangelizers. We must become like the two
beggars who “went out and spread word of (Jesus) through all that
land.” (Mt 9:31). Not even the stern warning of Jesus himself not to
speak about the miracle they experienced could stop them![2]
Seeking God
We are all created by God to be with Him eternally in
paradise. Our being children of God is built into our DNA. Our souls
yearn for God. Our spirits cannot rest secure until they rest in God.
Thus the most natural thing is for us to seek God, to want to see Him.
“‘Come,’ says my heart, ‘seek God’s face’; your face, Lord,
do I seek!” (Ps 27:8). If we seek God, we will see Him.
When we do see God, when we humbly bow down in worship, when we are awed
by the holiness of God, then we should also desire to be holy, as He is
holy. When we see and are awed by God’s mighty works, we “shall keep
(His) name holy” (Is 29:23). Holiness is God’s call to us. Holiness
is what forms us in the image and likeness of God, in which we were
created.
As we seek God, as we turn to Jesus, as we grow in hope, joy and trust,
then we already have a foretaste of paradise in the here and now. “But
I believe I shall enjoy the Lord’s goodness in the land of the
living.” (Ps 27:13). But this is just a foretaste. We look forward to
the fullness of life in the Lord in the heavenly Jerusalem that is to
come.
Then will we dwell with our Father for all eternity. Then will we
forever be praising Him. Then will we see Him face to face, in all His
beauty and grandeur.
“One
thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek:
to dwell in the Lord’s house
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the Lord’s beauty,
to visit his temple.”
(Ps 27:4)
Then will we rightly exclaim: The Almighty!
[1]
Hope, joy and trust are our themes for 2007, 2008 and 2009,
respectively.
[2] The two beggars disobeyed Jesus. Is it ever permissible
to disobey Jesus? Check out my write-up on “Disobeying Jesus” last
January 28, 2009.
Go
to Part 33>>
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