Looking God in the Eye

Luke 22:61a  "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter."

The song says:

I can only imagine
what my eyes will see
when Your Face is before me!

Well, what do we imagine when we picture seeing Jesus face-to-face?  There are a few very prevalent paintings that we see in images on e-mail forwards and other such places, showing Jesus embracing a newcomer to Heaven, warmly and intimately, with a radiant smile.  I always wonder, perhaps, if these sort of images over-simplify the experience we will have when we do indeed see Jesus face-to-face.  Remember, the Jesus we read about in Revelation is a far more complex and, indeed, glorious character.  He appears as a slain and risen lamb (with seven horns and seven eyes, no less), or, far more dazzlingly, as this:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16)

I think we can be sure that John of Patmos did not step up and embrace this manifestation of Jesus Christ.

Don't get me wrong, Jesus is an intimate friend and he is approachable and he is an all-loving being.  But it is important for us to remember in these modern times that Jesus Christ is also God.  He is not just a nice guy but he is a majestic, holy, and perfect being who deserves and demands our utmost respect and reverence.  For much of Christian history Jesus was not pictured as an intimate friend but as the God-man that he is. 

One of the earliest extant images of Christ, and still one of the most magnificent, is the Christ Pantocrator [meaning Christ Almighty or Omnipotent] of Sinai, which has survived for as much as 15 centuries.  In this icon we see an asymmetrical face of Christ: one side is placid and well-lit, signifying Christ's humanity, love, and forgiveness; the other side is darker, foreboding, and serious, signifying deity, judgement, and mystery.  In this early image we see a true and full understanding of the person of Christ as a majestic and holy figure.

I pity any actor who has ever had to play the role of Jesus in a film.  What an impossible challenge it must be?  How does one strike a balance between being the man whom children would flock to, and the man who could calm a storm with a single rebuke, or drive out demons in the same way?  What was it like -- imagine this -- what was it like to see the face of Jesus?  In Luke's Passion narrative, as Peter denies Christ a third time and the rooster crows, reminding Peter of his failing -- and not just a failing, but of the lowest, most wretched moment he would ever know -- Jesus turns and looks at Peter.  It is easy to focus on the proverbial rooster crow in this scene, but truly, the drama is in this glance from Jesus, whereby Peter knows full well that Jesus, the man Peter himself had declared the Christ of God, is aware of his denial.

What did Peter see in Jesus' face at that moment? What did it do to him?  Set aside the paintings and movie images in your mind and imagine the face of the God-man as he looks at Peter in pain, pity, love, and judgement, all tied together.  It is a powerful thought, a searing image.  What is more searing is to imagine that same man, facing his last day, his greatest trial, staring straight at us as we deny him.  Surely the look is the same, for it is the same Christ, and we are no better or worse than Peter, and no less a child of God.  Do we realize that Christ is indeed watching us daily, even more closely, it could be said, than he watched the apostles during his earthly life?  And in knowing this, do we imagine catching a glance of Jesus' face in our daily lives?  What look is on his face as he sees us?  Close your eyes and look into his.  And then decide what it is you plan to do about it.