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"And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, BECAUSE YOU DID NOT KNOW THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION" (Luke 19:41-44 ESV).

I shudder to think of receiving a visit from Jesus Christ with similar words. Upon reading the scripture above, I could not escape a feeling of horror and sorrow as the seriousness of Jesus’ words began to really sink in. And so did He - for He wept as He spoke them. So much is said in so few words. It came to pass some forty years later...

The last word in this verse is particularly intriguing, especially in regard to the scope of its usage in various translations. It is used a variety of ways, such as: 1) investigation, inspection, visitation a) that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad. It is also used in referring to: b) oversight 1) overseership, office, charge, the office of an elder 2) the overseer or presiding officers of a Christian church.

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:11-12) ESV). Here the Apostle Peter refers to a time when those who persecute Christians would receive a "visitation" from God. He can visit for a variety of reasons as indicated above, including to investigate and inspect. Jesus’ words were about a visitation of judgment for destruction. Something similar is implied by the Apostle Peter. However, this word also carries the meaning of a visit for the purpose of "relief"! It does not need to always refer to a visit for condemnation - it can also be used for a judgment for relief, blessing, and reward. There are times of visitation for personal, congregational, and national warning - a "wake up call" from the Ruler of the universe. These are all too frequently misunderstood, misread, ignored, or denied. Those so visited can be so far from God, so out of contact with Him, that the communication lines are down...the Messenger and the message never get through (Proverbs 14:12).

Ever since mankind was created there have been many who have been "visited" by God. It is no different today. God continually "visits" us. We are continually being investigated and inspected. We can be visited for encouragement - to comfort us, and to "relieve" us! Some have even been visited by angels "unawares (Hebrews 13:2)! The great flood was a time for visitation for a great judgment! Down through all history since God spoke the universe into existence, He has visited, is visiting and will continue to do so until Jesus delivers up the kingdom on earth to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Every human who has ever lived on this earth, or ever will live on the earth, will have a time of "visitation". Some who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and remained faithful, will have a visitation for eternal life and reward. Some when resurrected will apparently be ashamed upon seeing those they persecuted and ridiculed shining as the stars in brightness - a "visitation" for judgment (Daniel 12:2-3).

Throughout eternity past God has made His visitations in different ways. We are inclined to "put Good in a box", and expect Him to think the way we think and do things the way we would do them (Isaiah 55:8-9). God being "God", He does not inhabit time and space as we conceive those words. He "inhabits" eternity, period...there are no limits up, down, or around - forever (Isaiah 57:15). He can move in and out of time and space in ways beyond us. Jesus entered time and space to "visit" His creation. Creation is His (John 1:10-11). WE are His. We inhabit time and space. He came to "visit" us, in order to save us. We are helpless, utterly beyond hope and He has come to visit us for delivering us from the power of Satan and sin. In order for Man to apprehend God, there must be someone who is both. The gap is too wide between Time and Space, and Eternity. Jesus moved into His creation and out again. He visited our time and space to join our humanity with God "unhumanity". Now, there is Jesus Christ, the "God-Man". He has visited us, became like us, ascended out of our time and space. Now He can take us (and all things) up into Himself (Ephesians 1:10). THE GAP HAS BEEN BRIDGED. That which was bound by time and space can now be joined with the eternal. God and Man can now become One! (John 17:20-23).

All this was accomplished by a SPECIAL "time of visitation" into the realm of our time and space by the One who is not bound by it! - talk about a visitation for blessing and reward...!! But - within this visitation by Jesus Christ there is embodied, along with the message of deliverance and blessing, the message of coming visitation of judgment for those who willfully refuse to hear and heed. This is why Jesus sat down - and cried...

There are other visitations by Christ as he intervenes in the lives of His people in various ways, and at various seasons and times. So often Christians do not recognize His visitations. Many times He appears by the Holy Spirit in the form of a gentle inner prompting or conviction. It may be something as simple (which turns out to not be so simple), as the sending of a note or a card, or making a phone call. It is just something deep inside that urges us to act, or speak something in the season or time that would be best. We let it slide. It seems unimportant at the time in comparison to other activities. Do not delay to act upon these urgings - the Holy Spirit will not force us. After an appropriate time, He will relent from His prompting and urging. An opportunity for spiritual growth for you, and a blessing for someone else, has been lost. There will probably be others, but that particular one has been lost - forever.

Sometimes there are "times of visitation" of longer and more involved intervention by God. There are times of visitation for correction and chastisement. All of these for true believers in Jesus Christ are remedial. That means they are intended for our GOOD, for our growth and maturing. These will be in varying intensity and duration as needed - no more, no less. We must be sensitive to these times of visitation. The quicker we recognize our error, condition or problem that has caused God’s visitation, the less He is required to do to get our attention! A pastor told a church member that the reason he was having so many trials and difficulties in his life was because God loved him, to which the member replied "but does He have to love me SO MUCH?!" I think most of us can relate. There are countless times, seasons, and reasons when the Eternal Creator of all things VISITS us - because He loves us!

There is also a "time of visitation" by God when He lays His hand on a life with a call and conviction to turn to Him with the whole heart. The where, when, how, and even who, are all according to His mysterious providence. Some resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and go their own way (John 16:8). Whether there will be another time of visitation for these is God’s decision in His infinite wisdom and grace. Others respond to His visitation immediately with humble repentance, and surrender of their lives to Jesus Christ (Mark 4:3-20). There are often windows of opportunity connected to God's visitations. There is a wide "window of opportunity" called LIFE, that will close someday with another "time of visitation" - when our earthly life here ends in death.

Ultimately, there will be a FINAL time of visitation. This visitation completes, sums up, and consummates all other visitations for all the inhabitants of the earth. In a world which is basically content to go along, doing things their way, going "with the flow", it will come as a surprise of all surprises (2 Peter 3:10). For others, it will be a visitation of joy indescribable and unspeakable! Everyone will be called to an accounting - rich, poor, young, old, bond and free (Revelation 20:12). Jesus Christ will make a separation in this visitation - one group will be separated for reward. The other group will be separated for judgment (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

It does not matter what the nature of your visitation might be. Perhaps you are going though a time of trial or testing, a visitation fraught with heaviness and sorrow. He really does love you 'SO MUCH"! Listen to the Holy Spirit's gentle voice, and turn in humility to His way with all your heart, as well as your head no matter what your circumstances may be...be patient, trust Him, and WAIT (Psalm 123:2). You will find that no one ever cared for you like Jesus. It will all result in an eternal weight of glory for you, forever (2 Corinthians 4:17)!

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ, and surrendered to God in repentance, may today be your window of opportunity (Hebrews 4:7-15). The Ruler of the Universe is visiting today - with forgiveness, compassion, and acceptance "in the Beloved"...(Ephesians 1:6) Are you in a "window of opportunity" from Jesus Christ? Is this a "time of visitation" to you?...Can you believe? Ask God to enable you to BELIEVE...

THERE IS STILL TIME - before the window closes, before the last "time of visitation"... (Luke 12:40).

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on THE DAY OF VISITATION"!

In which group will you appear?...

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

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