The Lovely Jesus

Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

It is an extremely sobering thought to realize that at the moment of this verse in human history, the history was over. Mankind was doomed with absolutely no hope.

"Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost, and that world which God had created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and there was no way of escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die." EW 149

It is at this moment we see some of the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. His heart full of the love of His Father which He inherited shines out in love and sympathy for the human race. He goes to His Father with the desire to save us.

I saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying angel, He is in close converse with His Father. The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time He came from the Father, His person could be seen. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express. He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself, that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life.

What a wonderful and caring prince we serve! I find myself moved by His compassion for us. He pleads with His Father to come and save us and open a way for us to have life.

Is He not worth at least a portion of our day for contemplation? Is He not worth giving our hearts to and resting ourselves upon Him? I find His love and compassion irresistible. I find it hard not to think about Him and His great love.

Of course the angels were not excited about the fact that their commander and prince would suffer at the hands of sinful humans and be put to death in the most cruel fashion. I completely understand their feelings on the subject. To think that the crowning Jewel of Heaven would be crushed to death by human sinfulness. It is a repulsive thought. I still find it too hard to really understand it, but since I am one of the objects upon which this love has been bestowed I am overwhelmed with tearful gratitude.

All of the human race should have recognised the gift we were receiving in God's Son. But sadly few would receive Him, the way would be narrow. Inspiration tells us the heart of why the way is so narrow.

Jesus told them that He would stand between the wrath of His Father and guilty man, that He would bear iniquity and scorn, and but few would receive Him as the Son of God. EW 150

It has proved to be just as Jesus said. Very few are willing to accept Jesus as the Son of God. Poisoned by the lie of the serpent, our natures love to embrace those who come in their own name but not in the name of another. We find that repulsive, for there is no apparent personal honour in recognising another!

John 5:43-44 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Dear Father

please forgive us miserable wretches for despising your Son, Your Darling Son that you struggled to give up for us. When you did, most of us do not even accept Him as belonging to you and coming from you nor being begotten from you. Forgive us Father for our base ingratitude, our hardness of heart. Turn our hearts towards you and your Son and fill us with the glorious knowledge of your most lovely Son.

In the name of the Prince of Heaven

Amen.