The Season Of Advent // Turn Your Eyes To Jesusنموونە

The King You Follow

Who is Lord to you? Who do you call King? Once upon a time there was a baby born in a manger. It was not a place this world would deem fit for a king. It was a humble place. It was inconspicuous and unknown. Until I made it known—with my whispers in hearts and the triumphant shout of the angels. “A King is coming. The King is here!” The Messiah, the Anointed One, the King who would save the entire world.

There was a night, soon thereafter, when that same baby boy, with His mother and father, had to flee in the night and walk for many days. This King, my Son, would not have a place to lay His head, all His life. But all I have is His. All He has is mine.

When you think of the King you serve, of the King you worship, of the King you await this Advent, what does He look like? How does He speak? What characteristics of His are your favorites? How is He worthy to be followed? How can a King not know where He will lay His head? Is this your King?

I love Him. This King. He is King of more than what you see. He sits beside Me, and He sets the captives free—even now. He is more than a story of a virgin girl believing, and wise men gifting, and angels singing, and refugees fleeing. He is more than a Christmas song, a wreath hung at the door, a tree bedecked with jewels. He is more than celebration, the coming together of friends and family, the church; although yes, celebration is in order. Yes, rejoicing is good.

But pay attention to your heart now.

Consider how He arrived. And consider how you perceive Him now: Consider the curve of His brow, the eyes that see you, the hands that reach for you. Consider His arms that hold you, the compassion of the King who knows you and serves you, the Lamb who died for you, the King who mourns for you. Consider His voice, His words, His speech—what He says to you in the night when you feel alone, in the day when the world is humming and answers are hard to find.

He is the answer, this King. He is the answer, this servant. He is the answer, this Lamb. He is the answer. From heaven to stable to cross to glory, this King does not waver. He knows pain and anguish, suffering and temptation; and yet He does not yield. He does not yield to evil. He does not yield to what is not mine.

All that is mine is His, and He knows from where all strength comes, all hope. He is light, and is this the One whom you follow? Is this the One whom you serve? Pay attention now. Look deep within your heart. I will help you. I will show you what I see. For a King is born.

I don’t want you to miss it.

Exercise:

When I was young, my family had two nativity sets. And after Thanksgiving, both would appear somewhere in our house. One was made out of olive wood. Hand-carved camels and wise men, Mary kneeling, baby Jesus in the manger. My grandmother brought that one back from Israel, but it wasn’t delicate. It was solid and durable. So, my sister and I could touch it, play with it a bit, move it around and put it into any sort of arrangement we’d like: Joseph and the wise men hanging out near the sheep, Mary and baby Jesus near the angel or the donkey.

And then there was the other nativity scene—the breakable one. It was made out of red clay from Mexico, I think. And we weren’t allowed to touch that one. My mom always placed it a bit further away from curious hands — on higher surfaces. So, it was harder to get a look at Jesus in that one. But I did. And if I’m honest, He was not much to look at: a polished and smooth egg-shaped figure of a baby in a bowl-like manger. He was strange and mysterious. Fragile. And forbidden.

I like the questions Holy Spirit asked us—how we’re invited to think more carefully, more rigorously, about our thoughts about Jesus. About how close a relationship we have with Him. About how comfortable we are with Him. Because this time of Advent is all about slowing a bit, a few times during December, to consider Him and to prepare our hearts to celebrate Him.

But Advent will always feel shallow and flat or deep and meaningful depending on our perceptions of Jesus.

I can see that boy looking at that egg-shaped baby in that clay manger. Trying to grasp the wonder everyone talks about—but feeling separate from Him. That was fine then. But how do we move closer now? How do we break in, and break through, into a real relationship with the real Jesus? This is perhaps our most important question.

What does it mean to get to know Him—really and truly know Him? How do we stop living like we are both static figures in the nativity scene—us observing Him, but never really knowing Him as a close, personal friend and savior and counselor and king?

For He is waiting, now, asking us to come closer—to come further into relationship with Him. “Come in,” He is inviting. “Come in, come in.”

Do you hear Him calling to you?

Holy Spirit asked: “When you think of the King you serve, of the King you worship, of the King you await this Advent, what does He look like? How does He speak? What characteristics of His are your favorites? How is He worthy to be followed? How can a King not know where He will lay his head? Is this your King?”

Who is this man? I mean, think of the leaders you know from history. Prime ministers and presidents and kings. Men who sought wealth and power. Jesus only wanted to save. Most of our leaders from history took from their people and built mansions and palaces and castles. Jesus took nothing; He only wanted to give. Many of our leaders from history started wars and sent young men to die. Jesus offered Himself to die . . . for us . . . for you.

Who is this man whose only mission is to set everything right—everything—everything that’s gone wrong in the world? Every hurt. Every injustice. Every mistake. Every sin. Every broken heart. Every broken life. Redeemed. Completely. Forever.

Who is this man? And how could it be possible that we get to be with Him? We get to talk to Him? We get to hang out with Him? We get to follow Him? We get to study Him, laugh with Him, go on adventures with Him? Us? You do, personally? This King who never forgets us, never takes advantage of us, who gave everything for us.

Who is this man who just loves and loves and loves?

Are you missing the reality of Jesus this Christmas—the real Jesus?

Are you willing to come closer? To move into the risk and messiness and vulnerability of a real relationship with Him? Or do you want to keep things where they are—controlled and organized? Your relationship with Jesus like your relationship with a figurine on a mantel at Christmas time?

Let’s spend some time now doing what Holy Spirit suggested: let’s pay attention to our hearts. And to do that, let’s use our imaginations.

We consecrate our minds and imaginations to You now, God. We surrender them to You.

I want you to imagine something a little crazy. I want you to imagine being with Jesus at the scene of His birth. Jesus, as an adult, is standing next to you. Both of you are taking in the full manger scene.

What do you see? Is it tranquil? Are the humans and animals standing in a half-circle, all facing the baby? Are Mary and Joseph quiet and reverent? Is everything in order? Is everyone bowing their heads? Is the baby silent?

Ask Jesus—the adult Jesus, next to you—to look into your heart and tell you what you are missing. Ask, and listen for His reply.

What is the more that Jesus wants to show you in this scene?

Is there noise? Is there surprise? Is there awe? What does Jesus say about the angels or the wise men traveling from afar?

Now, what do you want to ask Jesus? Well, go ahead, ask Him whatever you’d like.

Stay here with Jesus. Keep taking in the scene. There’s a lot to see and experience and appreciate here.

This is the birth of your King. This is the coming of your Savior. This is the beginning of everything.

Jesus, You are the answer. You are the answer underneath every question. You are the King of Kings. The perfect King. But you are not far away. You are close. You make Yourself always accessible. You want to be my close friend. That is amazing, so help me to say yes to Your invitation.

You are here, and I don’t want to miss it.

In your name, I pray. Amen.