When George (not his real name) said he’d seen Heaven, his son believed him. So did I, because George was a no-nonsense, straight shooter (literally: he was a crack shot with a hunting rifle…). George was more at home with farmers than he was with most of the people for whom he served as a pastor for many decades. A couple of days before he died, God gave him a quick peek; He showed him a glimpse of Heaven. When George tried to describe it to his son, he wound up gasping and weeping uncontrollably, and choking out, “It’s so beautiful!” He eventually pulled himself together, but never was able to find words to adequately describe what he had seen. But there was no doubt: this was no hallucination. It wasn’t a dream. George had taught people about Heaven all his life. But now he had seen something beyond anything he had ever imagined. His understanding of Heaven was not even close.
Jesus did that for a few of the disciples.
” After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.” (Matthew 17:1-8)
When Jesus invites us to trust in Him, to believe in Him, it’s not like anyone else saying, “Trust me…” Jesus is God, Who appeared to us on earth as a human, so we could see and touch and hear and understand. But He is much more than a mere human. He is fully human, but also fully God. That sounds contradictory, but human words cannot convey Heavenly mysteries. They describe them to some extent, but they are not even close.
It’s easy for people to underestimate Jesus, thinking that, because He came as a human, He is just like you and me. People tend to imagine Jesus and think they fully understand Him, that they’ve “seen” all there is to see.
Not even close…
FRESH BREAD OF LIFE 