It's Personal

Visions are not my thing. I don't usually get some sort of image as I'm praying; I don't get any heavy revelations as people talk to me about my problems or theirs. I finalize my thoughts after I've mulled it over, after I've found the words for them. But not long ago, I had a vision, only the second one I can remember in my entire life.

I was standing before God's throne. And here's the thing -- what do you picture when you picture the throne of God? Mist or clouds. Bright light. Maybe a few feathered angels standing guard close by. Not in my vision. The room was red with some black hombre thing going on. Yeah, I know, sounds like I made a wrong turn. But it was magnificent, and red and black is my favorite color combination -- maybe my vision afforded me some creative license. I could barely make out the throne, but it was definitely gold and its Occupant was robed in white. The part of all this that really struck me was the figure beside me. Were it not for Him, I don't think I would have realized where I was. Standing next to me, moving with me, escorting me as one eager to introduce me, was Jesus. That was the feeling that washed over me -- He was eager to introduce me to His Father. He was sort of sidling as He walked, His hand on my arm, encouraging me, pulling me along, and at the same time glancing back and forth from His Father to me, His Father to me, as if to say, "Look, Father, look who I found just standing in her kitchen today."

In Luke 22:31-34, Jesus tells Peter that Satan desires to upset and afflict the disciples, but tells Peter specifically that He has prayed for him. Perhaps Peter's temperament placed him in more danger of falling than the others; perhaps Jesus knew the temptation Peter would face would be harder to resist. Whatever the reason, Peter received a special intercession from Jesus. It was personal. And it came from Jesus right to the throne of His Father on behalf of an ordinary man.

In my vision, Jesus brought me to His Father. To walk alone into that room, despite the fabulous decorating, I would have been terrified. This was obviously the majestic dwelling of a very powerful and important King. In and of myself, I did not belong there. But Jesus brought me to Him -- and gladly so! "Look! Look, here she is! The one I've been talking to you about. I love her!" In the scene from Luke, Jesus laid His concern for Peter before His Father, He poured out His heart that Peter might continue to stand. He took His knowledge of Peter's weakness or of the greatness of the temptation Peter would face, and He prayed for him personally. 

That's the point. Jesus knows each of us personally. Jesus prays for us personally. Jesus imputes His righteousness to each of us that we might stand before the Father, perfectly qualified through Him. Jesus loves us with a never ending and pure love. Jesus is the one and only gate through which we can enter the presence of God. Jesus is alive and working; He takes up our cause in a personal and loving way. And Jesus has assured us we will one day be in heaven with Him if we know Him -- personally.