When William Montague Dyke was ten years old, he was blinded in an accident.  Despite his disability, William graduated from a university in England with high honors.  While he was in school, he fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking British naval officer, and they became engaged.

Not long before the wedding, William had eye surgery in the hope that the operation would restore his sight.  If it failed, he would remain blind for the rest of his life.  William insisted on keeping the bandages on his face until his wedding day.  If the surgery was successful, he wanted the first person he saw to be his new bride.

The wedding day arrived.  The many guests — including royalty, cabinet members, and distinguished men and women of society — assembled together to witness the exchange of vows.  William's father, Sir William Hart Dyke, and the doctor who performed the surgery stood next to the groom, whose eyes were still covered with bandages.  The organ trumpeted the wedding march, and the bride slowly walked down the aisle to the front of the church.

As soon as she arrived at the altar, the surgeon took a pair of scissors out of his pocket and cut the bandages from William's eyes.

Tension filled the room.  The congregation of witnesses held their breath as they waited to find out if William could see the woman standing before him.  As he stood face-to-face with his bride-to-be, William’s words echoed throughout the cathedral, "You are more beautiful than I ever imagined!" *

The grand hope of the Christian is to see Jesus face-to-face in heaven, for Jesus is the One who died for our sins so that we may receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life in heaven (Ephesians 1:7).  He died for all (1 John 2:2), but only those who accept His offer of salvation will receive His grace.

God will save by His grace those who accept His offer of salvation through Christ by placing their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), who turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

The Apostle John wrote of the hope of the child of God: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

“When, by the gift of His infinite grace,
I am accorded in heaven a place,
Just to be there and to look on His face,
Will through the ages be glory for me.”
-- Charles H. Gabriel

Kent Crockett wrote with anticipation: “One day the bandages that cover our eyes will be removed.  When we stand face-to-face with Jesus Christ and see His face for the very first time, His glory will be far more splendid than anything we have ever imagined in this life.”

Then we’ll know the true beauty of the words in the refrain of a song by Charles Gabriel: “Oh, that will be glory for me!”

And, it can be glory for YOU, if you will only accept His offer of salvation and eternal life on His terms.

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent

* Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, pp. 101-102 in Sermon Illustrations at www.kentcrockett.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org