Getting To Meet A Heartthrob

 

Yesterday, I was going through the photo stream on my phone when I came across dozens of pictures of a movie star my young teen daughters have a crush on. I don’t understand technology enough to get why these appear in my photo stream, but I enjoyed the giggle of picturing them mooning over the heartthrob of the day. I have heard them talk about this boy as if they know him. They know his birthday and favorite food. They binge watch the show he stars in. They read magazines and information web sites to learn all they can about him. I am certain they would cry, scream or faint if they ever saw him in person. Their friends would hear about their life-changing encounter for years to come if they ever met this young man.

 

I have heard Christian friends hope and pray over the years for a “Beatific Vision”. The expectation of audibly hearing God’s voice or receiving a visit from an angel is an encounter they believe they need to have their spiritual life set on fire. I understand the longing; can you even imagine how wonderful? I would surely react with the same crying and fainting display of a teenage girl.

 

In the Old Testament, we see Adam, Moses, Jacob and others have their lives radically changed by beatific visions, and we learn how all the “B.C faithful” studied the law to gain understanding of God. They wanted to know Him, but they made lots of mistakes and got off track in their understanding because they did not have the full vision and understanding of who God is. When Jesus came to earth and began his ministry, the mystery was revealed.

 

“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.” John 13:3 (NLT)

“But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.” 1 Cor 8:6 (NLT)

 

On this side of the cross, we do not need a beatific vision. God has revealed himself through His son Jesus Christ. We can know all we need know about him. We can study what he cared about, how he acted, what he was passionate about and how he lived. We have testimonies and accounts from dozens of witnesses in the New Testament who lived and walked with him. They recorded it for us so there would be no more mystery. We can be absolutely sure. We have been given God Himself in the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us understand.

 

My girls truly feel like they know the young heart throb, but they cannot be sure. It is entirely possible that there is a PR team who has showcased this boy to be something that in reality, he is not. We Can know God, but many of us approach reading our bibles like my teenagers approach the dreaded summer math packet. We need to model the lovesick behavior of a teenage girl in our desire for God. We aren’t stuck with the hollow resources of Teen magazine or IMDb.com. We have the inspired word of God.

One day we will see him and hear him and be physically embraced by him, but if our spiritual lives today need a boosting, then we need to get into his word. There is no substitute, and we will be filled.