We Shall See Him As He Is

1 John 3

3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

I was struck by this line today, "... we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." If this is true, (and it is,) then the closer we get to seeing him for who he really is, the more we will be like him. Sounds so simple. And it is. If we're talking about a painting or a flower. I can look at these and see what they are. Even another person, although complex, after studying a person for years (like my husband) I can pretty well have him figured out. But JESUS? That's another matter. He is the "fountain of living waters!" Fountains don't quit, they just keep spewing more water, you never get to the end of it. You can't exhaust it. Everything about Him is like a fountain.

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Rom 11:33)

So I guess that is why we have to wait for his return until we truly see Him as He is. We have to wait until we shed these half-blinded eyes and hardened hearts. In the meantime, though, I want a taste, I want to keep trying to get to the end of the water... even though I know I can't. It's like trying to satisfy that deep-down, heart-aching desire for your lover... the more you get, the more you want, and it never ends. But the desire is part of the fulfillment, part of the fun of it, right? Only it's never completely quenched.

One day, our Bridegroom will fulfill all of our deepest desires by fulfilling that One desire that these earthly desires only point to.

By the way, if you're married and you don't remember that kind of desire, you should nurture that feeling back to life... God gave it to us to point to our desire for Him and His desire for us. If marriage is a picture of Christ and His Bride, maybe a marriage without desire is not a very good picture.

"Father, keep me in the place where I am longing for the Living Water! The more I get, the more I want. But when I let other things overtake this desire, my heart gets hard, I don't care if I get it or not, and I find myself dehydrated and wondering why! It is you that has pulled me out of the pit, and you that keeps me. So I can only beg for more! Keep your Word in my heart, on my lips, and let the Living Water overflow into the lives of others."