Come...And See

 I'm slowly realizing that the way of Jesus is one of invitation. God is always asking us to join Him. And whether or not you think of God as being inviting can make all the difference in the world... 

I've been doing a 40-day devotional through the book of John, leading up to Easter in a few weeks and one moment that stood out to me at the beginning of Jesus's public ministry is an encounter He had with some of John the Baptist's disciples. At the time, He was hardly known in the community. He had yet to be seen as the great Teacher, Healer, Philosopher that many later recognized Him for, so this early interaction almost sets a certain tone for how Jesus would introduce Himself to His future seekers and followers. John 1:35-39 tells this story of how John the Baptist - Christ's predecessor - saw Jesus passing by and pointed Him out to those listening. Some of John's guys heard this and decided to go after Jesus. It reads, "Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' 'Come,' He replied, 'and you will see.'" 

Two things are powerfully evident in this short but impactful conversation between Jesus and these two curious men. First, He asks them what they want. Now, most of us would read this and think of everyday moments when we say something similar after being stopped by somebody, "Hi! What can I do for you?" We do not think much of this question Jesus asks, but if you widen it out beyond just this one singular moment and realize that all of life is the same question, things begin to change. God is always asking us to identify what we really want. To probe our innermost souls and find out for ourselves what we really desire - Who we really desire. For what we go after the most is what matters most to us and we will often stop at nothing to get what we are most obsessed with, for good or bad. If we are to become who God intends for us to be, we have to get serious about the idols we've worshipped more than Him... about the things we've chased with greater passion than the One who gave up everything to chase after us. We need to get down to the root of what we want most is which is, without a doubt, to know the realist love. And whatever false loves we hold must be laid down in order to discover and experience the only Love that truly gives us what we've always craved. 

Second, He responds to their request with an invitation: "Come...and you will see." These men were looking for a physical location because, in that day, where you were from and especially as a rabbi, where you lived or who you associated with or what rabbinical school you attended indicated your status and legitimacy. They wanted to know if Jesus was for real. And Jesus said He would show them. He always will. But the invitation goes far beyond one little house somewhere where it says they spent the day with Him. And it goes far beyond some random men who shortly after heard and obeyed a divine call to get up and follow this Teacher unlike any other. It extends out through the centuries to us, today. We are offered the opportunity to come and see God for who He really is. We are invited to do life with the One who is our life and who loved us to the fullest life. Where some may see Him as the divine punisher who waits to crush us at every turn, the reality is that He holds out His hand and tells us to come and promises us that we will see if and when we do. 

Like any invitation, some will RSVP and some will not. Some heard His divine call in person and still turned away. One dying thief asked for mercy while the other cursed Jesus out. The invite is open to all receiving hearts but not received by all hearts. And only those who respond to the prompting into a deeper, fuller life and want to see end up seeing. Only those who are tired of being blind will gladly accept the gift of sight. It is said that what we most behold, we become the most like and it is no different with this invitation to "come and see." The more we identify what we really want and the most we ask Jesus to show us that place where He resides - to sit in that space that is His peace, His glory, His goodness, His love - the more we will see and know who He really is. As with any relationship, the more curious we are and the more intentional time we spend in His presence, the more our eyes will open to the million little miracles that is doing life with God. 

Jesus's reply to "come... and you will see" means far more than just a little answer to a couple guys who wanted to know if this Teacher's ministry was for real. It means that we have been given access to all that is the Almighty's vastness and He will reveal Himself to those whose hearts desire Him the most. He will open our understanding to great things if we're willing to take that step and grasp His hand. Like a parent with a small child, He leads us further into His abundance and reminds us that the invitation stands renewed daily. This is not a one-time thing but a life-time thing. And some of the first recorded words we ever read of the Christ set the tone for the entire good news: if we come near, just as we are, and say yes to the best invitation ever issued, we will see wondrous things. If we get real about what we truly want... and if He ends up being all we truly want... there is no end to the things He will show us. Things that honestly will take a lifetime and then an eternity to grasp. 

"Come... and you will see" is the start of the realest life you've ever wanted. A life only made possible by the One who gave it to you in the first place.