For My Eyes Have Seen: This Is My Turning Point!

For My Eyes Have Seen

One cannot remain unchanged after seeing God.

“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.” ~Isaiah 6:5

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel." ~Luke 2:29-32

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.” ~Job 42:5&6

When you have seen God your life HAS to change. Seeing God can come in a variety of ways as the above examples show, but the moment always represents a turning point. You can't see God and stay stagnant. It is not possible. Once you have seen Him, it's time to turn!

First, Isaiah sees God high and lifted up in the temple. God cries out and asks, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" And Isaiah replies "Here am I! Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) This is his turning point! How could Isaiah see God on His throne, in all of His Glory and splendor, and not respond? Isaiah has found purpose and mission in life after seeing the Lord in all of His Majesty! Isaiah acknowledges how unclean he and his people are (Isaiah 6:5). He sees how pure and holy the Lord is and realizes his own filth and the filth of his nation. Now he has purpose: deliver the Lord's message to the unclean people. Surely Isaiah could never forget his turning point!

Next, let's look at Luke 2 at the story of Simeon. The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Christ (Luke 2:26). As the above scriptures say, Simeon can now die in peace knowing that his eyes saw the Messiah, the light of salvation, on earth. This is his turning point! Simeon then gives a Word about Jesus to Mary and fulfills the task and purpose for which he was sent (Luke 2:34-5). Joseph and Mary's eyes are opened and also their belief about having a special child from God confirmed by Simeon's prophecy. Simeon has now seen God in flesh and the salvation He brings. His life's purpose is complete with this turning point. The waiting has ended! Salvation for all of Israel and the Gentiles is here!

Last, let's look at Job. Job was blameless and upright when God took everything away from him (Job 1:1). Job has always believed what he has heard about the Lord; however, he has never seen the Almighty (see the above Job scripture). Through dialogue and extremely difficult circumstances, Job comes to know who the God is that he serves. He finally sees him with his eyes. He no longer just believes what he has heard; he has a first hand account and experience with the Lord. This is his turning point! What many people don't realize is that God sets Job up for major blessings. Job has the JOY of knowing who the God he worships is first hand. Job no longer goes on what he hears but what he has experienced of the Lord, himself. This is a powerful difference. Now with a right heart Job can continue his obedience to the God who he has seen. Job repents of his ignorance and realizes how small he is in comparison to the Great God Almighty. What a turning point! Job then is blessed more than he was before and restored, but perhaps the greatest blessing is seeing who God really is (Job 42:12).

The point is, we all will have a turning point in our walks with the Lord. Some of us may have more than one, but the ultimate one is seeing who God really is first hand. Knowing about God and knowing God firsthand are two different things. Despite the often horrible circumstances that can come with learning to know who God is first hand is the biggest blessing of truly knowing God. What I mean is not just believing what you hear and read, but knowing Him. It is the greatest gift you can ever receive because once you know Him, nothing else compares in this life. When we reach the point of knowing God and seeing Him for who He really is, we can never live life the same. This turning point brings a new sense of purpose. Can I truly serve the Lord if I don't truly know Him? How can I begin to tell others about Him unless I have seen Him myself with my own eyes? Sometimes, like Job, the cost of seeing Him is tremendous, but so small once realize who our God really is. There is nothing, nothing, nothing like knowing the Lord. And if we all have to have a moment in our lives like Job, then so be it if it means we can know the Lord Almighty! For there is no greater JOY than knowing Him and then serving Him in light of who He really is. I pray that you will have a turning point in your life. I've just recently encountered my own turning point and surely my eyes have seen.....