We see something incredible and our first thought comes, “Who can I call?”. Our desire is to share the beauty, the incredible, the shocking with another person. Everything in us says we should not be the only ones to know and experience the sight.

I remember the time, my husband and I took the car ride up to the top of Mount Washington. The beauty was astounding yet that was not what compelled me to reach for my phone. Driving down the mountain, we stopped under a huge evergreen tree to look up and see a bear swaying in the top branches.

He appeared small and at first we thought he was a cub. We stood below admiring him, and his climbing ability, along with two strangers who also had stopped to take in the sight. As he began to shimmy his way down, we continued to laugh at his maneuvers as he made his way closer to the ground. Until that moment.

That moment.

When we realized this was no cub but a full grown, and very huge, bear. And he was coming down. We hopped back into the car and continued our drive down, no longer desirous of seeing anything until we were down on the paved road.

And then, I began to make my phone calls – to my son, my daughter, my parents, and friends. Seeing the bear, close and in his environment, was a wonder too exciting to keep to ourselves.

John, the beloved disciple, knew the difficulty of keeping the amazing to himself. He wrote in such a way for everyone would understand exactly what he had seen.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14, NLT)

John had personal interaction with Jesus. He had seen with his own eyes, heard with his own ears, touched Jesus with his own hands, and walked the dusty roads with his own feet alongside of Jesus. In a court of law, John would be the perfect eye witness to give testimony.

John did not stop there –

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. (1 John 1:1a, NLT)

We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. 
(1 John 1:1b, NLT)

John was desperate to get his point across for people for all time. John made certain we all would understand:

1. Jesus IS life. “This one who is life itself was revealed to us …” (1 John 1:2a, NLT). This life, eternal life, is in Jesus. It lives in Him, is available through Him, and is the eternal life of our God. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV).
2. We can share in his joy. “We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy” (1 John 1:4, NLT). We can have the same joy John experienced. It is a joy which transcends any circumstance in life because it is found in Christ. Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
   (John 15:11, NLT)

John shared what he had seen and experienced so that we would desire the very same.
Upon seeing, may we continue to share with others the glimpses and glory of Jesus.

Today I am joining … Let Us Grow and Faith ‘n Friends .