”behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. [2 corinthians 6:2b]
amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. i once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now i see. ~john newton
why do we not run to Jesus? why do we stay in our sin and our shame? we are blind. we do not behold him. we do not see him. after Jesus heals the blind man in John 9, he has this interaction:
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “do you believe in the Son of Man?” he answered, “and who is he, sir, that i may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “you have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” he said, “Lord, i believe,” and he worshiped him. [john 9:35-38]
“behold! look at Jesus! behold! look at the cross!” when we truly see and savor Christ for who he really is, we cannot help but worship Him. we do not worship because we do not behold.
where do we see him? where do we go to behold? by the spirit, through his word, the bible–if you are feeling hopeless and ashamed and barren, if you have no love for Jesus and His word, maybe you are blind. it is time that you do a couple of things:
- pray–as the psalmist does in psalm 119:18: “open my eyes, that i might behold wondrous things out of your law.” the word is full of wonders of Jesus. it isn’t that this is not true, it is that we don’t behold them. we pray for open eyes, knowing that it is only God by the Holy Spirit who opens them.
- look for Jesus–read one of the gospels. if you don’t know where to start, i recommend the book of john. look for Jesus. sit in his words. marvel in his sacrifice. fall in love with him. behold. believe.
there is such urgency to this message–the “double behold” of “see! see!”–time is running out (john 4:23-24, revelation 3:11, romans 13:11-14). don’t wait to see, don’t wait to proclaim the message of seeing Jesus to others: “now is the favorable time.” proclaim it to yourself. proclaim it to your family. proclaim it to your neighbors, fellow students and coworkers. today. “now is the day of salvation”.
Father, open my eyes, so that i might behold the beauty and glory of the cross, help it to overflow into worship as i go into the world today as one who points to the cross and cries “behold–see! now is the favorable time! don’t wait!” help me to remember that i do not open eyes. only you do. amen.
~conor eastman