When I was a child, my mother hung a picture of Jesus
standing by a heavy wooden door with a little lamb cradled in his arms. I would
sit on the back of the sofa so I could look Jesus in the eye, and talk to him.
I told him everything and I had complete confidence that he heard me and
understood how I felt. I had three brothers
who often didn’t want to play with me and being a farm family other children
were not close. So I made Jesus my best friend. However, my father was hurt in a farm accident and we sold the farm and
moved to Salida, Colorado. Here father healed and after four years we moved to
a ranch in southeastern Colorado. It was
twenty-five miles to town so at the age of 13, I again felt alone. My oldest
brother started dating a Baptist girl who took him to church each Sunday. Mother insisted that he take his siblings,
too. The Jesus I met at the Baptist
church was very stern and had very strict rules to follow if one were to ever
see heaven. Then graduation came and I
was off to college. I left the Baptist Jesus behind and did not attend any
church. After college, I accepted a job
at the hospital where I had trained as a Med Tech. There I met Noel who was serving a year-long
internship with the hospital chaplain. The Jesus Noel worshiped was like the Jesus I knew as a child, warm and
loving. However, it took almost ten years for my image of Jesus to become a
reality. That happened when I finally
understood the role of the Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus was born human but
he always knew God had called him to be the person who would bring about God’s
new covenant with mankind, i.e. he was to be the sacrificial lamb, without sin,
who that would offer himself to God for the sins of each of us. Yes, I see Jesus as the person who died so
that when I die I will take a seat behind Him and enjoy his fellowship
forever. I see Jesus as my traveling
companion through life. Jesus is the father who kept me safe as a child and the
mother who taught me the meaning of life and how to live it. I am his willing
servant.
Prayer: Thank you for giving us a “thirst” for you and setting us on our journey to claim the prize you made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We recognize that the prize of salvation and companionship was given at a great cost we cannot repay even if required of us. We know and willingly accept our responsibilities as your children. Help us to remain committed to this relationship throughout life. When we stray bring us back for the only life we want is a life shared with you. Amen.
Noel and Jane DeKalb (reprinted from the 2017 Eastridge Lenten Devotional)
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