In
liturgical churches, the four weeks preceding Christmas—called Advent—is a time
to celebrate –and prepare for --the coming of Jesus. The following devotional
was written last year and published in a booklet of Advent readings collected,
compiled and printed by my friend Dorothy Hatfield of Beebe, who does this each
year as her gift to the church and community.
It was titled, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.”
It was titled, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.”
Advent after Advent after Advent, we sing this
267-year-old hymn by Charles Wesley.
And Christmas after
Christmas after Christmas, we sing “We Would See Jesus,” written in 1913.
During the church year, we sing “Turn Your eyes Upon Jesus,” from a poem
written in 1922.
Well, folks, I thought I saw Jesus! Of all places, Jesus was sitting in a booth in
Benton’s La Hacienda. He was alone and facing us as we were led to our booth
behind him. He was young, with kind eyes, straight brown hair falling to his
shoulders--he could have stepped out of the picture of Jesus found in nearly
every church and in many homes.
His laptop was open. He looked up and smiled
as we passed. I glanced back and saw what appeared to be a screen of emails.
The waiter took our order, and I goofed by asking for
one thing when I meant another.
In a minute or two, Jesus turned in his booth and genially
commented about my mistaken order. We laughed.
Once during our meal, I looked up and Jesus was gone. Had he vaporized or
“vibrated to another level,” as a friend described a disappearance? The word we
use is “ascended.”
No, Jesus was
visiting with people at a nearby table. He might have been preaching, but I
doubt it. He returned to his booth and laptop. As we left, I caught his eye and
waved. He said, “Have a nice day.”
J. Edgar Park, nearly a century ago, took the first
line from another person’s hymn, “We Would See Jesus, for the shadows
lengthen,” and wrote his hymn to express “youth, promise and sunshine and an
inner glimpse of the Young Man of Nazareth living and moving among us.”
What if? Some believe angels live among us, why not
Jesus, whom this young man resembled?
Why
not? Crowds weren’t flocking around. I wish I’d passed my napkin to him for an
autograph. I wish I’d asked him if other folks had mentioned his resemblance to
Our Savior. Sigh . . .
This
experience led me from pray-singing “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” through
“We Would [hope to] see Jesus,” to “I’ve Just Seen Jesus,” to the mantra, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,
and... find that the things of earth” are mere trifles.
During
this Advent season, this run-up to Christmas, will we see Jesus in others? Will
others see Jesus in us?
c PL dba lovepat press, Benton AR USA
