I came to love You late, O Beauty so ancient and new; I came to love You late. You were within me and I was outside, where I rushed about wildly searching for You like some monster loose in Your beautiful world. You were with me, but I was not with You. You called me, You shouted to me, You wrapped me in Your splendor, You sent my blindness reeling. You gave out such a delightful fragrance, and I drew it in and came breathing hard after You. I tasted and it made me hunger and thirst; You touched me, and I burned to know Your peace.”
~Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. … And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”…
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
~ John, The Beloved Disciple, quoting Jesus, King of The Universe in portions of Revelation 22
Oh beloved, it is true.
The Jesus we serve is a Man. He did become a man, forever, in His incarnation. This is one of the great truths of Scripture. Jesus, a Man, is now KING of kings, and LORD of lords. He did both condescend to enter into our darkness and frailty, and did draw us up through His resurrection and ascension to seat us with Him in heavenly places.
Much of this seems too fantastic to comprehend, let alone understand. But true it is. And, this small aspect of our great G_d, gives us insight into something also amazing. If we read the passage above, it (and others, like Isaiah 11) speak the transtemporal nature of Jesus.
Jesus is seen to be One who is not tied to the dimension of time. He is above it. He is in it. He is through it. And, He is beyond it. He is Life, and all life is tied to Him. He is both the ancestor of David, and David’s descendant.
Can we see it?
Jesus was indeed a baby, whose DNA was informed by the DNA of Mary, a descendant of David, and a daughter of Eve. However, David was a descendant of Adam, whose Father was the One who created all things, and through Whom all things hold together: Jesus.
This kind of truth should give us a deep sense of how much Jesus cares for us. He did not just create everything, wind up the clock, and then walk away. No, Jesus is intimately involved – past, present, and deep into forever. He is, to say it more clearly, rushing at us from all directions of time and space.
And… He is making us like Himself.
So, are you feeling like Jesus is far away? He isn’t. Never has been. Never will be. Tonight is your night beloved. Time to believe in the real Jesus, The Ancient of Days.
O worship the King, all glorious above! / O gratefully sing his power and his love! / Our Shield and Defender – the Ancient of Days, / Pavilioned in splendour, and girded with praise.
~Robert Grant
