“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. … And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
“You Become What You Behold”
Following Jesus does not guarantee a life that is free of pain and hardship. Even Jesus told us that we should expect trouble. And he reminded us that by his death and resurrection, he had overcome the world. Hebrews 12:2 exhorts us to look to Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Over and over again, the Scriptures encourage us to fix our eyes on Jesus and gaze on the beauty of the Lord. It’s clear that what we look at determines our direction. We become what we behold. We are changed by what we see. It matters where we set our sights. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18a).
Long before he reached this climactic moment in his life, Stephen had been looking at Jesus. His mind and heart were set on the One who suffered and died so he could live. Stephen had been transformed by gazing on God’s grace to him in Jesus. He was overwhelmed and undone by the reality of what Jesus had done for him. No fear. Only faith and hope and love. So it is no wonder that in his final moments, his response to his tormentors sounded very much like Jesus: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46); “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Looking at Jesus, he became like Jesus.
Respond: Wherever you are, whatever you are facing, look to Jesus. Ask God to transform you as you behold the glory of God in the face of Christ. Use this old hymn to help you rejoice in Christ:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest; Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”
Write out your story or song to Jesus, praising him for his work in the gospel and in your life, and share it with someone today