Always with you
Good Morning Family of God,
How would you react if some famous person followed you around all day; hung out with you and helped you to do certain tasks and make important decisions. Think of your favorite movie star, your favorite sports figure, or favorite singer, author, celebrity hanging out with you all day, everyday. I bet you’d be parading them all over the place, “look everyone, I know him and he knows me!” It would be a big deal right? We’ve all been there…wanting to meet someone famous, just get a glimpse so we could say to people, “today, I saw…”. People will go to great lengths and spend a great deal of money just to see Taylor Swift, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Patrick Mahomes, etc. The Christian world has its own celebrities too – famous singers, famous preachers, famous authors…Christians flock by the millions (and spend millions) every year to attend stadiums, arenas, churches and cruise ships to get a look at the “best” the Christian world has to offer. I am always amazed at how much one is willing to spend, or how much time and effort one is willing to devote to spend a few moments with someone of notable repute. We love our idols…Lord have mercy!
I have been recently overwhelmed with the words of Jesus, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). I am even more astonished at how those words should radically alter my life, often forgetting the implication of those words in my daily living. Just stop and take a few minutes to let the reality of those words sink in, “I am with you always”. There is never a time Jesus is not with the true believer, who has been born again by the Spirit of God. Should those words not change the way one lives? Is Jesus, the God of the universe enough of a celebrity to us that we would stop chasing all earthly famous people? Does He not daily create awe and excitement in our lives, and prompt us to want to show Him off to the world? What are we willing to pay, forego, give up in order to spend time with Him? We often settle for substitutes to true communion with Jesus; we think the latest Christian film, or concert or devotional or bible study, or mission trip will bring us into deeper relationship with Jesus. Is it not true that if you want to get to really know someone, you just got to spend time with that person – that Person who is always with you!
Why is Jesus not enough? Why would one who has perfect love, perfect peace, perfect joy living on the inside of them go and chase those precious pursuits in other things and people that will never satisfy? The older I get and the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I realize He is all I need. Many I know are so busy doing “for Jesus” that they never really get to “know Jesus”. Reminds me of Mary and Martha – do I want to spend my time cooking for Jesus or sitting at His feet getting to know Him. Jesus is in us! Every waking moment, every sleeping second, He never leaves! The Creator of all things, the One who holds the world together is in me! How awesome is that! With Him there is no fear! In Him there is no anxiety! Because of Him there is no lack…of anything! Because He is always with us, all of Heaven’s spiritual blessings our ours. Because He is with us, all of the fruit of Holy Spirit is ours. Because He is with us, every promise is Yes and Amen. Because He is with us, all the treasures of the kingdom are ours. What more do we need; who else do we need?
How much time do we spend with Him? How much time do we spend without Him? Which number is bigger? And how will that change if we don’t do something about it? I am getting to a place in my Christian walk where my life is meaningless, as are all the things I do, if that time devoted does not bring me closer to Jesus. Maybe that sounds arrogant, but I’m tired of talking about politics, and worldly issues. I really could not care less about the latest celebrity when the greatest Person in the world lives inside of me. I want to know Christ! I don’t want to be like Adam and Eve who exchanged intimate communion with the Lord every morning for a piece of attractively deceptive fruit. That’s all the world has to offer – deceptive fruit that promises to supply that which a person desperately wants but leaves one ultimately broke and empty. I only have a short time here on this planet, but I will spend eternity with my First Love. It’s time to get to really know the One who saved me and laid His life down for me; who owns me and loves me with an everlasting love; who has cleaned me up and taken residence in my heart! He is always with me; He is always with you! He wants to give us true life, for He is True Life! He is true peace; He is true Joy. In Him is found all that really matters. Let’s pursue intimacy with the One who is always with us.
Have a Jesus filled week!
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