Face to Face
By Shirley Mitchell
“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:4
I wrote this at the National Women’s convention after my experience of a fresh revelation of the presence of the Almighty God. I declined going to dinner with my friends and slipped back to the hotel room. I had to capture on paper what happened with God and me. This is so personal, but I had to share it with you.
The greatest hope of my heart…the greatest thing that brings me to tears and makes me cry uncontrollably with tears just dropping to the floor and makes me have nose issues....the number one thing I anticipate...the greatest hope of all of my heart is not achievements. It is not even noble things and treasured things like a calling fulfilled for myself or a sister, or healing for a friend. My greatest hope that makes me lose all control when I think of it is that some sweet day I will leave this life behind. Someday I will lose my vision of this world. In the next moment, I will be heaven. I will see my God and my Jesus face-to-face.
Jesus doesn’t have to say a word about if I lived a life that receives a “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I just want Him. I want to behold Him and see Him beholding me. I want to experience the heavenly equivalent of Him stroking my hair gently and hugging me tightly. I can’t even open my eyes now to type this because I am crying so much from the pit of my insides. I don’t think I will be able to edit this one and clean up the writing. I just want to be with Him. I just want Him, not that I want to leave this life. I love my family and friends that He has given me. I desire so much to do something of worth and to have a crown to lay at His feet. But above all of that, I just want Him. I just want You, Jesus. Someday we will be together, Jesus. Someday, I will get to leave my earthly flesh and nature that keeps me from seeing You. There may be other welcomers to heaven, like my biological daddy who will gladly wait since God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and I just need to have a moment together.
Do you love Him like that and more? Do you yearn for the day that you see our Jesus face-to-face? If you love Him like that and more, then live like it. Live His Word in the reality of your everyday moments. Live the life of a servant who doubles her talents. Be strong and courageous. Hold fast to Him for He is your life. Always be convinced that He is worth the cost to follow Him. You can do so much more in Christ than you ever thought you could. Someday you will see Him face-to-face. Be intentional so your thoughts at that moment will not be that you regretted how you lived on this side of heaven – if it is possible to regret in His presence. Know that He is bigger than you or I can imagine and that you should have believed Him more.
Pray with me: Almighty God, Sovereign God, and Loving Father Abba, someday we will be together forever. I know that You can see what goes on inside my body when I begin to think of this moment. My heart thumps, and the blood flows faster through my body. My breath gets taken away. I can’t wait to see You face-to-face and to have our moment together. Help me to live the life that reflects our relationship. Jesus, You are my life. I want to live like Deut 30:20 where I love You, LORD my God, I listen to Your voice, and I hold fast to You for You are my life. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, I pray. Amen.