If Jesus were to appear to you in the flesh today, how do you think He might look? Would He be dressed in a flowing white robe and wearing sandals? Would there be a glow around His head? Or would He perhaps look like the mailman, a kid down the street, a homeless person or maybe even someone incarcerated in jail?
Many people have missed Jesus because they were expecting Him to only look, sound, or act the way they envisioned Him. The Wise Men were looking for a king. They might have expected to find him in a palace, not in a manger. But when they found Him in an unexpected place, they worshipped Him!
John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin. He had probably seen Jesus many times before … but never as the Messiah … until that day he saw Jesus in a new way. And He knew the One he had been awaiting was there!
Those who grew up with Jesus could not imagine Him as anything more than Mary and Joseph’s child … just an ordinary kid grown into an outspoken ordinary man. But, at the last, many of them likely joined in the exclamation of the soldier at the foot of the cross. “Surely this Man was the Son of God!”
Peter liked hanging out with Jesus. They became friends. But one day Jesus asked a question that caused Peter to look at Jesus in a whole new way. Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter knew the answer. And when he knew that he knew, he also knew that life would never again be the same.
Jesus delights in showing up where we least expect Him. It is as if He gently encourages us to look again and see those things about Him we never noticed. When we think we know all there is to know about Him, Jesus slides in and whispers, “But hey, look at this … did you ever notice this?”
I encourage you to momentarily lay aside everything you think you know about Jesus. Start fresh this season. Sit with Jesus and get to know Him. Look at Him as if you were meeting Him for the first time. Ask Him anything you want. He loves to take questions. He loves to ask you questions too … not the “right” or “wrong” kind, but the kind that make you think. He really wants you to know Him.
When you catch yourself saying, “But I never knew that about You …” and you hear Him laugh, you will find a new Joy that can take you on a Life long treasure hunt with the Master. I’d like to introduce you to my Friend, Jesus. Look around and see if you can spot Him!
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
Points to Ponder
Do you really want to know Jesus?
Herod and the Wise Men sought Jesus for different reasons. Herod wanted to keep Jesus from intruding on his life. The Wise Men wanted to worship Jesus. Why do you want to find Jesus?
Make a list of everything you know about Jesus. Thank Him for all He has revealed to you about Himself.
Make a list of everything you always wanted to know about Jesus, but still don’t know. Ask Him!
What does it mean to search for Jesus with ALL your heart? How much of your life have you dedicated to the search for Jesus?
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