I had the privilege of reading a book, 'The Face of God' by Bill Myers a few days ago, and the author described a vision experienced by two of the characters in the book. They were both about to see the face of God, and had different responses. I highly recommend reading the book to know the complete vision and hopefully get challenged as I was. Being a part of the body of Christ means that our actions affects the whole body, even though we might not see it.
I will give a summary and then quotation from the book to share some with you.
Two men about to encounter the face of God. Two different responses. Which response represents me?
The first man, served God faithfully, not realizing he was shifting His focus. God confronts him with the truth of his heart and the kind of relationship God desires to have with him. In the vision he was in a pit with slippery, wet walls. His body from the inside out was made of stone. He needed to get to the Light that was above the pit. He longs to be engulfed by the Light's warmth and love. He tries to climb the walls, but fails as his stone both cannot find any foothold in the slippery walls. Then he finds a foothold, only to realize it is his wife, then members of the church, then finally his son. To get to the top he is stepping on them as they cry out in agony. The worse to hurt is his son. Seeing and hearing his son made him lose balance and fall to the bottom of the pit once again. He cries out for help, and hears water trickling down the walls of the pit. It was not water, it was blood. It poured faster and harder, and started to fill up the pit. Soon he had to swim. His stony body made it hard to do so and he need to get on top to breath and reach the Light. He finally gave in and breath. The blood fill his lungs and his body and the stone turned to flesh. He could also breath naturally as if it was air. He found himself to the top and swam to shore. There he encounters the Light and God's voice, and God's face. The Light envelopes him and he is consumed with warmth and love. It penetrates every part of his being. The encounter makes him weak, feeling as if he could handle no more. The Light was also enjoying his presence. He gave the Light, the Creator of the universe joy. Then the voice was heard "My friend". (the following is quotations from the book)
'The phrase takes his breath away...He lays upon the ground, sobbing, his heart bursting with joy...He wants to open his eyes but is afraid...A hand tenderly touches his shoulder...strength flows through his body...he rises to his feet...with lowered eyes he sees a pair of feet, glowing brilliantly...perfect in every aspect...except for the holes. The image brings a new flood of tears. He crumbles back to the ground, kneeling at the feet...At last a perfect hand...except for the hole, reaches out and holds his chin...tenderly, firmly...raising his head. He forces himself to look into the face...the beaten face, then his face...back and forth the image shifts...until they blur and become one...the face spoke a final time
"Father...I have given them the glory that You gave me that they may be one as we are one: I in them and You in Me."
And with that revelation, that impossible truth, he collapses to the ground, losing consciousness.
The second man was served Allah faithfully as any soldier would in an army. Deal aggressively with the enemy, and show no mercy. Allah was holy, and such holiness cannot be tainted with man's unholiness. He experiences a vision where he also was in the same pit with the Light above. His body was of stone, which was puzzling to him. He tries to climb to the top, but had similar difficulties. He finds footholds, and they turned out to be people in his life who served Allah faithfully and paid with their lives in the cause of eliminating the enemies of Allah. He keeps climbing on the heads, despite their cries of agony. He must sacrifice them, everything to reach the Light. He finally reaches the top, and pulls himself over the top. He comes face to face with the Light. However, his body, still a hard stone, starts to crumble as the as the Light approaches...(the following is quotation from the book:
'His rock body is so hard and inflexible, that starts to crack...and small pieces start to crumble and break off. He cries in pain and terror, but there is nothing he can do..."What is happening!" he screams. "What are you doing?" The Light gives no answer. Unable to move, paralyzed with fear, he can only watch in horror as the Light begins to encompass him. Its purity is hotter than fire. He tries to escape, to turn and to run, but he only falls to the ground. The Light wraps itself about him, embracing him, caressing him...igniting him. "Why?" he screams. "I am your servant!"...Now he is completely embraced...his stone body glows...the pain is excruciating...He shrieks, "look at what I have done for you!..."...Then he hears it. All-powerful, all-tender.
"Look at what you are."
He turns to his entire body. Everything glows brilliantly...but not clearly...because every square inch is filled with imperfections. The Light continues to soak him, attempting to share its brilliance...but all the impurities made it impossible. The pain is too intense. He cannot remain in the Light's presence. He must escape its purity. Desperately he looks for some escape...the Light is everywhere but in the pit...he starts toward it, crawling...if he can just reach it...and get away...Finally he arrives at the edge of the pit...it is filled with red liquid...the reflected face...the face of Allah covered in the blood of his enemies...no...from the cuts and welts from Allah's own wounds. No, Allah would not have wounds, Allah is majesty, holiness...Then he sees...for the first time atop the head is a crown of thorns. "No! This is not possible!...I do not believe this! I refuse this!...the image breaks up and disappears...because the pool of blood is gone. The pit is empty...he can reenter it. Now he can hide and be safe from the Light's purity...with relief, he looks into the darkness...the blessed, safe darkness...he drags himself over the edge and into the pit...he begins to fall, tumbling, faster and further from the Light...grateful for the growing darkness...deeper and deeper...into a pit that has no end.'
