Pictures of Jesus
PICTURES OF JESUS
My favorite picture of Jesus is the one on my little Primary Sunday School card I found recently, with brown hair and beard, and such a kind face, holding the little lamb He had rescued over his shoulders. If you showed that picture to people, many would say, “That’s Jesus.”
Then there are the black-and-white drawings of the laughing Jesus passed around the internet recently—Jesus with a baby, and Jesus with young children gathered around. Just the thought of Jesus laughing, a big deep belly laugh, makes Him seems so real to me, so human. He was human—all man and all God.
About 20 years ago, the large church I was a part of put on an Easter program, complete with a cross that was lifted up on the stage with a man playing the part of Jesus tied on the cross. He hung there suspended as Jesus had been, but the marks and the blood were all fake. Very realistic, but fake. I told him, I don’t know how a man who is Polynesian from Hawaii and part native American can look so much like Jesus who was Jewish.
The most important part of every picture of Jesus is His eyes. Every artist has worked hard to capture the essence of Jesus Christ in His eyes, no matter what the rest of the picture looks like.
However the truth is we have no idea what Jesus really looks like except for the description in Revelation 1:13-15, “and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass.”
I just know that when I reach heaven, I will know without a doubt just Who Jesus is, when I see Him face to face. He’ll be the One looking at me with eyes of love and a smile on His face, saying, “Well done, Lavon, and welcome home.”
Lavon Hightower Lewis
Do Unto Others
When Velta the next door neighbor girl came over, if we were drinking pop, we had to share. She lived with her grandmother who didn’t buy pop, so she only got pop when she came to our house. I remember many times Velta taking a drink of my pop out of the bottle I sat on the edge of the piano while I played music.
Aliens Among Us
I watched the old Star Trek from the beginning with William Shatner as the captain. Then came Captain Piccard. Then there was the lady captain, I forgot her name. I even have the Star Trek movies boxed set. One year, I was late for choir practice every week because I had to see the ending of the TV show.
Star Trek’s fascination for me was what kind of alien they were going to come up with next. I just loved those little furry balls that were almost like a dog, but the cute ones were always the ones that were the most dangerous. And then there was the robot, Data, who was always trying to find a way to “feel” like humans feel.
The movie industry has taken the subject of aliens to great lengths. The alien show usually has this basic premise: other beings come to earth, invading the bodies of human beings.
Jesus came to earth in the body of a baby and grew up. He died on the cross, was buried, rose again and ascended to heaven. Then He sent the Holy Spirit to earth to create a new race of beings. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” That word, creature, has been defined as a new race of being.
In Hebrews 11:13-14, spoke of Abraham, Sarah, and others, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises. . .confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He has prepared for them a City.”
In shows and movies, outer space aliens invade, but the Holy Spirit issues an invitation to the person to accept Jesus and be born again, to become a member of a new race of being. We become strangers and pilgrims, walking the earth, searching for our hometown, the great City, the New Jerusalem.
Work Calendars
I could go back in my work calendars and tell you exactly what shift I was working on which day and year, all through my career with the phone company. I can tell you who my babysitter was and probably how much I paid her. I can tell you when I took my vacations and what days the kids were out of school.
I can also tell you from the calendars how many Sundays we attended church, and which weeks my children attended Church camp, practiced for the Christmas program, or when I sang a special at church. Isn’t it silly to hold onto all those old calendars? But those calendars are like a diary of my life, in my own handwriting.
The Lord has a record of our lives too, written in God’s own handwriting.
“Lavon’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life in 1957 at the Fourth Street Mission in Vinita, OK. and was baptized in Mustang Creek. She has two children and 2 grandsons. She retired from the phone company after 32 years.”
He has written down all those important details that sometimes get overlooked by others. He sees the motives and intents of your heart, not just what you did, but why you did it. There is so much more written in God’s memory book of your life in between all the milestones.
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” Malachi 3:16 NKJV.
God has a book with your name on it and He is keeping a record of the times of your life.
Lavon Hightower Lewis
The Great Reunion
We threw together the First Annual Brock family reunion last weekend held at the cemetery where my great grandparents were buried. Our plan was to meet our cousins in the cemetery to visit and decorate the graves, then go to the second cemetery, and from there head home.
When we pulled into the first cemetery, I was surprised to see two of my dad’s first cousins standing there waiting for us. I jumped out of the car and ran up to them and hugged both ladies with tears of joy in my eyes. I really had no hope of them showing up, since we hadn’t heard from them, but there they were, and I recognized them right away. Another cousin with some young children came, as well as some of the family that went with us. It was a joyous occasion.
We visited and I gave my little speech about the family tree and how we were all related. Then we decorated the graves, while the children played around on the open area of the cemetery.
However there were so many other family members that we had contacted who weren’t able to attend and we were sure sad that we didn’t get to see them. We hope to see them next time.
It’s funny that the reunion took place in a cemetery, where our relatives are buried. However there is coming a great reunion one of these days, and those who are dead in Christ will meet with those who are alive in Christ, but it will take place in the air, not in a cemetery. And this time there will be no one missing from the family of God.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” First Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV.
One day the family of God will be reunited with the Lord and each other. Won’t it be glorious?