Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty. Isa. 33:17
Lord Jesus, Isaiah’s promise summarizes the deepest longing in our hearts. Though we sabotage, repackage, and squander this longing in a myriad of ways, it is you that we want, more than anything or anyone else. By the power of the Spirit, the daily mercies of heaven, and the unsearchable riches of your grace, free us to come more fully alive to this irrepressible truth: You are the greatest, most irrepressible desire of our hearts. We crave and yearn for you.
Indeed, we want to see you, Jesus; for you made us in your image, redeemed us for your glory, and love us with great passion. Hasten the Day we will see you as you are—the Day of no more knowing you in part, loving you in part, or being like you in part. We yearn for that Day, because we yearn for you—blessed Bridegroom.
We want to see you, Jesus, in your unfiltered, undiminished, unabated beauty. Everything we call beautiful is a mere hint, a quiet whisper, and a vague shadow of your quintessential beauty. Hasten that marvelous Day—the Day of eternal marveling, for surely it will take all of eternity just to begin fathoming and savoring the wonder of your glory and the fullness of your love.
We want to see you, Jesus, in your kingly splendor—for you are the Monarch of mercy, the Sovereign of salvation, the Lord of crickets and kingdoms, presently at work in all things for our good and your glory. You created, named, and hung every star for our fascination; you crushed, defeated, and will eradicate all evil for our eternal joy; you number our days, bottle our tears, and carry our burdens.
One Day you will return and finish making all things new. Who is the king of glory? It is you, Lord Jesus, only you. Continue to open the eyes of our hearts, Lord; we want to see you, we want to see you—in the gospel and everywhere else. So very Amen we pray, in your grace-full and all glorious name.