Glory to Behold

One glory experience ...

Val Kerr, Guest Writer

It was that night I saw the sunset and I was sure I was blessed. And so would anyone be:  A great swathe of salmon pink cloud settled over half of the horizon.  Earlier, bright pink and glimpses of gold were on show.  

Overhead, the pale blue and mauve sky colours were “waiting in the wings.” It was a spectacle to be enjoyed by anyone who wanted to see it.

This made me think about a personal vision of my Saviour that I once witnessed. At the time I was physically located in a small meeting room in one of the parks run by the Council. Low-priced English lessons were available and I was the teacher.

Above me during the lesson on this particular day I saw Jesus.  He stood to my right, above the class. One of His arms was folded across the chest.  I could not see His face, only the jaw line, but the whole image was yellow-golden, glowing with a fire-like depth of colour.

We had just been discussing the places where the students came from.  I remember the pleasant Chinese lady in particular.  In a matter-of-fact way she told us that her husband was in the gambling business on the Eastern seaboard of China.  There is a place there with wall to wall casinos.  A phrase she used sticks in my mind to this moment – The Black Society, meaning the criminal element of society.

The picture above me faded away. What could it mean?  Why was I being shown Jesus? What message did He have for me?  I was rather stunned by the whole experience and in fact it took me six days to even record it in my personal diary.  

In the next week I was walking along my own street and I began to consider that I had imagined the whole thing.  In answer, my lovely Lord gave me a flash of the same picture above my right shoulder and in front of me, just as before.  No it was not imagination, it was real.  Or rather I should say He was real.  Still is real.  I assessed the “vision” as a great personal blessing and felt I was being given an inestimable honour. 

Within 18 months I was amongst the street signs of Taiwan, where the unique Chinese script gave plenty of information to the locals, but no clue to me about where I was and how it happened that I became completely lost. The memory of that earlier experience of Jesus got me through without anxiety.  No one can harm me. 

Thailand for six weeks was another service opportunity as an English teacher. The missionary preached on Isaiah 6 where the prophet had seen the Lord.  Perjowah, perjowah, perjowah is the one and only word I remember of Thai. The interpreter explained it means “Holy” and that was Isaiah’s response to his vision – an appreciation of the holiness of God.  I could certainly relate to Isaiah, and I still love that chapter of the Bible.   

People reading this account may see a connection between “serving” and “seeing Jesus” in a foreign environment.  He did say in His last words (Matt 28:19,20) for us to  “…go” and then “I am with you.”    

This is about the fulfilment of His directions with the certainty of His reassuring presence.   

Guest writer's Profile:  Mrs. V. Kerr is a retired teacher active in Christian ministry as a layperson. A strong prayer warrior, she helps people learn about the Bible, especially those in remote areas where the gospel is often out of reach. She has travelled to some places in Southeast Asia teaching and sharing the inspired word of God and His promises of salvation and love. Aside from her most recent travels to UK and NZ, she managed to do a study tour of Israel  in 2013.