The Invitation To Behold
“and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’”
John the Baptist made this declaration at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry on the earth. John was on an assignment baptizing in the Jordan river all who would repent of their sins. John had a word from the Holy Spirit. He had a vision of the Spirit descending like a dove on the son of man.
John was watching and faithful serving in his assignment.
Abiding in Christ every day has its benefits. We have the opportunity to grow in our faith, deepen our knowledge of the scriptures, and receive healing or deliverance where we need it. John the Baptist shows us something that goes beyond personal development.
John was ready to behold. He had eyes upward and outward, looking for Jesus, and when he saw Jesus, he knew with such confidence that Jesus was God that he boldly declared it for all to hear.
We may have a hard time identifying what is and is not the Lord in our lives. God is spirit, so we obviously cannot just read a description of him and find him. But I wonder, how is our experience of faith any different than John the Baptist? The prophet did not have anything to describe Jesus to him other than the witness of the Spirit. If anything, he had reasons to overlook Jesus because he was his family.
John’s willingness to follow after the Lord opened him up to see God in Jesus. We can do the same. Psalm 11:7 ESV says, “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” There is a promise for those who love God to see him more fully.
As we spend time seeking the Lord every day in prayer and through his word, I wonder if we can begin having eyes that look outward to see God in our world. We will learn to identify his presence in the sanctuary of worship, discern the true from the false, perceive his work in the world around us, and be ready to respond to his leading.
Consider how seeking his face every day and learning his word positions us to behold his face and live a life from constant connection to the Lord, not just in the place of prayer.
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Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
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Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
