"By faith (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. " -- Isaiah 40:31

But our "invisible God" is no longer invisible! As the apostle Paul powerfully points out,

"(Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities -- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."
-- Colossians 1:15-20

If Jesus is the "image of God," we no longer need think that we worship an invisible God. Jesus Himself said, "He that has seen me has seen the Father!" In seeing the real, human Jesus Christ, we see the Father -- He is everything to us that the God the Father can be.

In my early memories as a new Christian, pastors and Sunday School teachers spoke of the "Preeminence of Christ." I believed it, down to the core of my soul. As of this present hour, that was 66 years ago. In subsequent years from pulpits, college and seminary classes and biblical studies, I heard a lot of the 'preminence' of Jesus Christ.

Were one to examine the "core of my soul" today, a different Jesus Christ would be found. The word, preeminence seems to fall far short of the Person who lives today at the 'core of my soul.'

This is because I have come to be aware of a problem, a 'spiritual issue' if you will. That problem is that the preminence of Jesus Christ is treated as a mere doctrine. Something we study and talk about, but rarely actually realize its import, or actually live it experientially.

Jesus is the absolute core, root, kernel, essence and focus of our faith. It is He that we worship and seek with all our hearts to follow His will. In Him we live and move and have our being. He is more than preeminent. He is all. Mere words are helpless to fully express it.

If one's life is to have authentic meaning, then becoming more like Jesus Christ is its driving force. This includes not only His Deity, it also includes his Humanness. He is the only God/Man. There is no other. To come to know Him is to identify as Him, for we are one -- as He taught.

This then, is the energy to soar through life instead of stumble through pain. So, my precious friend, I extend to you and invitation; No! More than an invitation. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to follow Christ, and in doing so discover the wings of eagles.

-- PDM

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