Some years ago I attended a book signing in Tupelo, MS. John Grisham was autographing his newly released book, A Painted House. I got to meet Mr. Grisham and speak with him, briefly, while he was signing my copy of his book. He was very conversational and asked where I was from, how far I had driven, etc. As it turns out, he and his family had vacationed around Kentucky Lake and enjoyed it very much.

     It truly was a privilege to meet him and I appreciated his gracious kindness while we spoke. He didn’t try to hurry me through the line nor did he seem disinterested in me as a person. If fact, he treated me as if he had known me all of his life. Incidentally, I have proof of our meeting, that day. A photographer from the Tupelo Daily Journal took our picture together and it appeared on the front page of the paper the following day! If you would like to see it, it is framed and hanging on a wall in my office.

      I did consider that a great privilege, but there is one privilege I would like to have more than that of meeting John Grisham. I would like to meet Jesus. You see, if I get to meet him, it will mean that I made it to Heaven! But I sincerely want to meet Jesus. I am curious to know what he looks like, but it goes beyond that. I want to meet him, hug him, thank him, and…well, you can obviously finish the rest.

    How important is Jesus in your life? Is he the priority of each day or only when Sunday rolls around? We sing, “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all.” We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 3:16) All will see him on the last great day, but I want to MEET him! Do you?

 

Gary Knuckles is Minister of the Briensburg Church of Christ and lives in Benton, Ky.