“Your eyes will see the king in all his beauty” Isa.33:17a
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4
“All of us who see, savor, and contemplate the Lord’s glory—Jesus’ beauty, perfections, and magnificence, are being transformed to be increasingly like him. This is the work of Jesus by his Spirit.” Paraphrase of 2Cor.3:18
Lord Jesus, I’ve asked you for many things over the years, for you are a most loving and generous Savior, who welcomes our asks. Hallelujah, and thank you. Among the many things I am still trusting you for, I increasingly long to behold more of your beauty, Jesus—your heart-inflaming, knee-buckling, life-giving loveliness.
You give me air to breath only a daily basis, Jesus, but take my breath away with a heart-sighting of your matchless splendor, radiance, and beauty. The heck with merely “appreciating” you; we want to adore you—to be undone and overwhelmed with you, Jesus. We want what Paul celebrated when he called you his life (Phil.1:21), desired to be with you in heaven (Phil.1:23), sought to know you more fully and intimately (Phil.3:10). That’s what I ask for myself, and my praying friends.
Heal the eyes of our hearts—take away the astigmatism, cataracts, our myopia—whatever keeps us from seeing you as you truly are, Jesus. Reorder our longings, free us from our obsessions, capture and fill our hearts afresh with yourself, Jesus. We long for the Day when we will see you as you are, and we will be made like you (1 John 3:1-3). So Very Amen.