Devotion: Do You Know the Real Jesus?

“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” ~Thomas Aquinas

Traditionally, Lent is a time when people of faith prepare their hearts for Jesus’ resurrection with fasting, praying, and repentance.  But if you don’t know him, maybe Lent is the perfect time to seek out Jesus.  If you don’t know Jesus, you doubt that he was the Son of God, or you are skeptical about any parts of Christianity, then maybe you could take the remaining days of Lent as a challenge to see if you can figure out what Jesus is all about.

I believe that if we do what the Bible says, we will find its truth in our lives.  “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV).  Maybe Lent is the time to go all in?  I always figure that anyone can do just about anything for a short time, and the weeks between now and Easter are not really all that long.  Pull out a Bible and see if you can find the love of Jesus in its words, won’t you?  My husband even encourages people to pull out a kids’ Bible if you feel like the big Bible is too overwhelming.  Sometimes words written for kiddos speak to the heart in a tender and simple way.

What does that mean?  The way to what?

In my own experience of Jesus, it meant that getting to know him brings joy.  Reading his Word helped me understand that my life could be better than the way I was living it, and it brought me knowledge of the grace and love of a God who became a man just so he could be relatable and known by us.  It meant a change in my heart that led to self-forgiveness and the ability to move on from my fears and past mistakes.  It was a path to feeling more alive and passionate, and a way to a level of contentment I had not experienced before.  And it has also meant finding and being a part of a community of people with whom I can share my brokenness and questions and gifts and who will still love me because Jesus loves them and has shown them the way too.

Since then, finding Jesus has also meant accepting that I cannot know everything, that some parts of God will remain a mystery.  Sometimes it means I ask new questions, but I keep seeking Jesus and finding him worthy.

Maybe it seems odd or crazy that a person can be the thing that connects us to an unseen God, not to mention, how can Jesus be God as well as man?  Maybe your life has been filled with angst or fear or anxiety and you don’t understand why God would let you live that way.  Or maybe it feels like too much work to spend your free time looking into the question of who Jesus is.

I believe the answer to the question of Jesus has eternal, forever significance. Even if it feels scary or daunting, you can do anything for 40 days!  Won’t you take the challenge, ask the questions, read the Bible, see if you can get a glimpse of the way to everlasting life, of Jesus himself?

Lord, I lift up each person reading these words today who has questions about you.  Show us your way Lord, that we might see what Jesus is all about and understand his great love for us.  Help us each to see clearly some way during this time of Lent, some way that we can draw closer to you or encounter you for the first time. Amen

Scriptures for Reflection

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6)

Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to seek Jesus, who he is and what he is about, from now until Easter.  If that seems too vague, here are some suggestions:

• Start reading the Bible in the book of John. There are four (true) stories of Jesus, but John is my favorite.  No need to buzz through it quickly.  Do a chapter or two a day and really take in the stories.
• Ask yourself why we celebrate Easter and then, if you can answer that, ask yourself whatever list of questions stems from there. Write them down!
• Find someone who might be willing to sit with you and study or answer questions as they enter your mind and heart.
• Say a prayer asking God to reveal himself to you and to help you understand what Jesus is all about. My experience is that he shows up.

Carla Clemens enjoys a crazy, beautiful life with her military husband and four sons. A baby and toddler interrupt her homeschool days in the best ways, and she is always attempting to live with mindfulness of each moment. She hopes to look at the world and each person in it in light of our amazing Creator and therefore, to see each moment presented as an opportunity to love and serve him more. Carla relishes time to ponder God’s Word and have quiet moments with him and her coffee. She loves doing life with other mamas and encouraging them to simply be who God has made them to be.

Photograph © Adrian Moran, used with permission