Behold the Man!

Pilate invited the crowd to "Behold" Jesus.  Everything is decided by how we behold Him.  

The foundation is that God is love and He simply desires to love and be loved.  This relationship for us starts, of course, with receiving.  Romans 5:5 declares the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Spirit of God who has been given to us.  It is beyond our finite understanding of why, but the Lord simply loves being in our presence and enjoys us loving Him by being in His presence.  

How much time does the average Christian (or you and I) spend in His presence, not asking or talking, but waiting on Him and just enjoying being with Him?  When was the last time you just sat and were still before Him? Someone, who died and went to heaven but was sent back, reported that Jesus was grieved that people wanted what the Lord has (such as healing, power, miracles, strength, etc.), but didn't simply want Him.  

Psalm 17:15 suggests that not only will we be satisfied, but also changed as we take time to behold Him.  "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."   We see the same principle in 2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."  In His light, we become light.

Therefore, purpose to want more "of Him" rather than just to get things "from Him."  There is fullness of joy in His presence.  So today, take time to just be still and enjoy Him and who He is.  We talk about a relationship with the Lord, but do we keep the relationship alive and growing by spending time with Him, not just asking things from Him.  As Ephesians 1:23 reveals, Jesus' goal and ultimate purpose is to be "all in all."  Take time to "Behold the Man" in love with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and let Him reveal Himself to you.