John 1:36 “And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”
“looking upon” connotes much more than just simply looking at. It means to look at while considering and evaluating what we are looking at. It also signifies focus; that is, “looking upon Jesus” while diminishing our attention to other things around us. I cannot imagine how glorious it must have been to see and to lovingly and adoringly recognize “Jesus as he walked”, knowing that He is the Son of God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator and Savior and that He had come to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). After His Resurrection, “Thomas” also looked upon Him and worshipfully declared “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Then the Lord referred to us as He said to “Thomas”, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29). We have not been so blessed to physically look upon our Blessed Savior, but “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” (Proverbs 20:12). That is, through the clear vision given us through the “eye” of “faith” (Hebrews 12:2), now “we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9); that is, “for every man” that the Father had given Him (John 6:37). Furthermore, when the storms of life are raging around us, through the “eye” of “faith” we look upon our Mighty Savior walking in the midst of the sea of troubles, coming to deliver us. When we are faced with awful despair and confusion, through the “eye” of “faith” we look upon our Savior for comfort and clarity. When we find ourselves without strength to continue on, through the “eye” of “faith” we look upon our Savior to strengthen us. When we are hatefully cast aside, through the “eye” of “faith” we look upon our Savior to take us up and embrace us with His Eternal Love. When we look upon ourselves and know that we are undeserving sinners, we are greatly grieved; but, through the “eye” of “faith” we look upon our Blessed Savior “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:9)! In our present distress, we find great peace and comfort as we, through the “eye” of “faith”, turn our gaze upon the Almighty God, our Blessed Savior, Who loves us with “his great love” (Ephesians 2:4), and we are made to know that He “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).