I recorded our 8 year old daughter Anna’s vision of Jesus in my journal of 10/15/2000.  

The sense of the Lord’s presence was so strong in the sanctuary.  I felt it was unusual and wanted to know what was happening. I typically sat on the front row but moved to stand in the back of the sanctuary while worship music was sung. I was seeking perspective, trying to discern what was going on.

Anna came up to me and said something, but I could not hear her because of the volume of worship. I smiled at her. Anna then spoke louder.

“Daddy, You didn’t hear what I said, did you?”

“No, what did you say?”

“Did you see Jesus?”

“You saw Jesus?”

“Yes!”

I tried to inquire about her experience sensitively.  Had she really seen Jesus or was this youthful imagination?

“Where was He?”

“He was standing behind the green microphone.”

Our worship team filled the front but there was one vacant place. The green microphone.

“What did he say?”

“He said, ‘I am coming back soon. Do not doubt that I am coming soon!’”

“What was he wearing?”

“He was wearing a robe.”

“What color was it?”

“Oh, Daddy, We don’t have those colors here!  It was a kind of yellow, white and gold. But we don’t have those colors here. The light from him was reflected off the faces of the people.”

I told Anna that she had had a great privilege to see the Lord, and she should seal it in her memory for the rest of her life.

She told me, “Daddy the Lord told me, so I would tell others.” What a wonderful message for us to share with others! “I am coming back soon. Do not doubt that I am coming soon!”

Steven C Johnson

Landingstripenterprises.com  

I had been studying passages about seek God’s face, and  thinking about the face of Jesus. For weeks a thought in the back of my mind said, “You should preach on The Face of Jesus.” Then we made a visit back to our former church in Ellensburg.

A friend of ours had painted a beautiful portrait of Jesus and surprised us with it while we were out to lunch. I was flabbergasted. It definitely tipped the scales for preaching on seeking His face. Back in Goldendale I invited members of the congregation to bring to Sunday worship portraits of Jesus. Several did. We set them up on easels and tables with images of Jesus. Naturally there were many artist’s concepts of what He looks like. I shared images from great artists over the centuries who has attempted to present Jesus on canvas.

Unfortunately the portrait given us suffered damage in a move. Grateful the face was not damaged. I like the picture our friend, Joseph painted. The person in the painting was solid and darker, more olive complexed. He is somewhat in shadow. I have the impression he is able to stay in the shaddows or come out into light. I can picture him putting on a smile or putting up a confrontation.

There was no one present with Jesus to take a snap shot or a video. If we had such recordings they would rock our spiritual world as most of the faces we have of Him are of our own construction. Our sense of the intonation of His words are also largely from our own imagination.

I’ve often prayed, “Dear God, let me know you as you really are, and not simply as I have conceived you!” Of course we have no business trying to conceive God. He is the One who  conceived us!

May you gain a wonderful, vivid view of our Redeemer’s face today as you seek Him, and find Him!

Steven C Johnson

LandingStripEnterprises.com

 

Paul Wilber, “Show Me Your Face!”