Somewhere in the world is a lonely soldier lying on his bunk holding a photograph in his hand. It is someone he loves, it is his home and it is his hope. The soldier is so far away and yet when he gazes into the eyes of a loved one he imagines being right there with them. The smell of a home cooked meal, the sound of holiday music and laughter, the feeling of a warm embrace. This solider knows he is fighting for them. He will face the ugliness of war and death while holding onto this image. The hope is one day he will see them face to face and nothing else will matter.
The most terrifying result of sin in this world is being separated from God. He is the one who created us and we were designed to be with him and love him. Sin has taken this reality and dashed it on the rocks. As a result of sin we are selfish haters of God and our desires go against his very nature. However, because of God’s love, through Jesus Christ he is saving people from their sin so that one day they can be with him. Suddenly in the heart of a believer is a longing to be with God. As we read about the life and person of Jesus Christ we get a glimpse. The Bible gives us just a taste. The Holy Spirit gives the believer chills as they experience God moving in their life.
One day we will see him. We will be in the very presence of God. The Bible refers to it as seeing his face. The Bible gives us a picture of God in Jesus Christ and yet when heaven is ours, we will see the face of God. We will spend eternity in wonderful amazement saying to each other, “We are seeing his face!” And what happens when you’re in the presence of God? Everything changes. All sin, all despair, and darkness will be gone. Revelation 21:3-4 says, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Revelation 22:4 makes it personal saying, “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” Believers in Jesus Christ will see the face of God and it will be evident that they belong to him and that he loves them. In Roman times they would tattoo slaves on their foreheads in case they tried to run away everyone would know who they belonged to. The markings of the believer will speak not of our guilt but of our freedom. Never again will believers separated from God. Our whole lives are leading up to that moment. The pinnacle of Heaven is to be with God.
Only, we are not with him. Not yet. In this world we must carry on through the consequences of sin and death. Seeing God face to face must become our hope. It is amazing that even Job after losing everything, being blasted by his supposed friends, and doing a bit of complaining himself, describes the day when he will see God. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Like the solider on his bunk with a photograph of home, the believer can’t wait until they will see God face to face. This hope of heaven shouldn’t cause us to give up but motivate us to keep on pressing forward. We can face the ugliness of sin and death while holding on to this truth. When everything fails us, when the bottom falls out from underneath us, it is only for a moment because one day we will stand in the presence of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” In the face of God everything will make sense and nothing else will matter.
“No man ever saw God and lived. And yet, I shall not live till I see God; and when I have seen him, I shall never die.” – John Donne
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