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Looking Unto Jesus

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 28, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 52.

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Looking Unto Jesus

By WILLIAM COVERT

WILLIAM COVERT
Paul represents the Christian as looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of his faith. This changes the whole course of life. If he looks at the character of Jesus long enough, he beholds in him many beautiful things. David, in one of his written soliloquies, said, “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.” After conversion he had the Son of God as a constant companion, and this association was the inspiration that gave to the world many beautiful psalms which embellish God’s holy book.
The Christian’s life becomes a kind of index, pointing people to Jesus. His gaze is so constantly unto Jesus that others are impressed with the importance of looking to see who it is that attracts him so much. And often they who look to see, also become attracted unto Jesus, because by looking they learn about the good that has come unto the other who has been looking unto Jesus.
The person who looks unto Jesus will soon grow into the custom of comparing or measuring everything by him. He refers important questions to him, gets his methods of work and answers to questions from him, and in time becomes like him.
The person who is ever with Jesus gets more from him than others can ever tell him, and he knows more about him than he can make others see in him. Thus each one must learn about Jesus for himself by personal contact, and yet each can help some other one to begin looking.
It is looking unto Jesus that changes the complexion of everything around us. If one looks until he gets Jesus formed in the very retina of his eyes, his condition makes him see things through this heavenly light, and he will then live unto, and talk of, what he sees. His conversation will be of Jesus, because he ever sees Jesus as he is. Wherever he goes Jesus goes, and whatever he does Jesus is with him to direct it. Jesus through the Holy Spirit has become the moving power of his life, so he is constantly preaching him, both by word and by deed.
The person who looks unto Jesus sees so much in him, and gets so much of him, that in a way Jesus is ever present where this one goes. When he is at home, Jesus is there; and when he is in society, Jesus is there too. When he talks, Jesus speaks; when he works, Jesus acts. His looking unto Jesus has the effect of keeping the presence of Jesus with him.
But looking unto Jesus in these days means raising one’s eyes to heaven where Jesus abides. Then his eyes must follow with the eyes of Jesus as the latter looks out over the great white harvest-field of the sixty nations, or more, where missionaries are in the busy fields winning souls for the kingdom. O, what a beautiful sight to behold thousands of those who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus winning souls for the Saviour! Every person who is won to Jesus at once looks unto him; then he begins immediately to train the eyes of others to look unto Jesus.
All say: “My brother must see Jesus;” “I will show him to all my friends, and get them to look unto him;” “It does me so much good to behold him, that I will point him out to others.” “Ah!” say they, “we have found him of whom Moses and the prophets did write;” “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us.” And they add: “Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
The Christian can have no greater joy in this life than the joy he gets from the service of bringing others to Jesus. Indeed, by associating with Jesus he partakes of the Spirit that fills the heart of Jesus, and that Spirit is weighted with an intense longing to save others.
Chicago, Ill.