Thursday, 21 April 2011

• Who is Jesus to You?

  This past Palm Sunday, my pastor posed the question ,"Who is Jesus to you?". What a worthy question to ponder with Easter quickly approaching. I am absolutely overcome when I think about who Jesus is and all He has come to mean to me. It's so easy to take Him for granted, but He's much, much more than just a man who died on a cross. 

  I can't believe what He did for me. Utterly blameless and without sin, He bore all my shame, all my sin, every evil thought, every ugly thing I have ever done or ever will do. He was the pure and spotless Lamb of God, yet He was beaten and tortured as though He were responsible for all the sin of the world across the entire span of time, from beginning to end. Just thinking of what He suffered due to my sin alone brings me to tears and brokenness. 

  His precious blood was poured out for me on a cruel cross, and by His wounds I am healed and justified and redeemed. When He looks at me He sees me as spot-free and without blemish. I can't even fathom how this is possible because I know me. I know all the ugliness in my heart. I know my ungodly thoughts and actions. Yet through His sacrifice He has purified me and made me as white and innocent and clean and holy as He is. I am so unworthy.

  He fills the void in our home and makes up for everything that's missing. When I hear a beautiful love song that makes me want to cry, He fills that empty place in my dreams left by the man who might have sung to me. When I get one of those silly personal survey emails and read that heartbreaking "Who is the love of your life?" question, Jesus is my answer. He's the One whose unfailing love brings healing to my broken heart. Gentle and lowly, He is the true picture of genuine humility. Jesus lovingly encourages me to take His yoke and hand Him my burdens. He yearns for me to cry out to Him, and He faithfully runs to me even when I refuse to run to Him. Corrie ten Boom said it so well..."You can never learn that Christ is all you need until He is all you have." 

  Jesus is the One by Whom I have all authority over the enemy. He defeated all the powers of hell through His death and resurrection, and His every victory also belongs to me through the shedding of His blood on the cross. The mere mention of His name brings healing, peace, comfort, wisdom, direction, and rest. He still does miracles, even today. He is right there with me in the furnace and through every fire, and he goes to battle for me without fail. Jesus is the One whose arms are around me when others cause me pain. I am in Him, and when my enemies hurt me, He shields me and protects me and makes it all bearable. 

  Jesus is the One I want others to see when they see me. He is the One I want others to hear when I speak. I want to know Him more, and I want to love others with His love. I don't understand why God sent His precious Son to this cruel world so that I might have abundant life. I have children, and I know how much it hurts me when they suffer even a tiny little scratch. How painful it must have been for my Father in heaven to watch all His Son endured. And all for the likes of me. I don't deserve it.

  I haven't the vocabulary to articulate all that Jesus really is to me, so let me just say that Jesus astounds me every single day with His amazing love. He is worthy of all my praise, and if I tried for the rest of my life, I would never be able to praise Him like He deserves. I fail Him every day, but He never, ever fails me. His grace and mercy flows abundantly into every part of my life every time I fall short, covering me, cleansing me, and making me new. He overwhelms me; He is my Everything.

  Who is Jesus to you?

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