From East to West.

A number of years ago a friend and his family from Romania visited us in Ogmore-by-Sea. His wife was amazed at the beautiful sight of a sunset over the sea. They had only ever experienced sunrises over the Black Sea and so to see the sun setting over the sea was one of the most beautiful things that she had ever seen (her words!) By coming to Looe we are experiencing the opposite to what Doina did, the sun rises over the sea here.

On Sunday morning I came into our living room (which looks directly over Looe Bay) and was greeted by the most amazing orange glow filling the room. It was about 7:30, the sun had risen and was about to disappear into a bank of cloud but just before it did it poured it's radiant glory into my flat.

I felt truly privileged to have such a glorious visitor. Other members of the family were sleeping in and taking a well earned rest whilst I was blessed with this stunning beauty.

This of course all got me to thinking, (sorry about the Americanisms.) It is so easy for us to miss important events. Just a couple of days earlier I turned my back to the window at exactly the moment a bolt of lightning blasted its way into the sea. Pam saw it and I missed it by a nano-second, I was so disappointed. But on this occasion I was privvy to this display of glory.

That is just what it is like for many people who never recognise the glory of Christ. The apostle John records these words describing his vision of Jesus Christ in heaven:

I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash round his chest.The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Revelation 1:12-17

John saw Jesus as the most gloriously radiant person in heaven, that is because Jesus is the King of heaven, He is the Prince of peace, He is the all glorious One, He is the Sun of righteousness, He is the Glory of the Majesty on high and many other descriptions. John saw a glimpse of His glory for which words could not fully describe the depth of His beauty. As we read Revelation we find that descriptive words at John's disposal do not even begin to clearly describe the majesty of Jesus Christ.

It is a bit like trying to describe a magnificent sun-rise or sunset with mere English words. Other languages might be more descriptive but it is still impossibe to capture the beauty with words. Even photos fall far short of the glory. To fully appreciate a beautiful sunrise you have to see it with your own eyes. Everything else simply falls short; how much more this is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and His majesty.

But thank goodness we do not have to persuade others of these things, we have the third person of the Triune God for that very purpose, it is His work to persuade people as to who Jesus is and to lead them into all truth. There they will understand and see the full glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It does not matter which direction sinners are looking, the Holy Spirit directs the thoughts of unbelievers whom He chooses to Jesus, where they will then see the full glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ just as John did from aprison cell on the isle of Patmos as recorded in Revelation.