You don’t know Jack, I mean Jesus

 

I love to be asked to pray for people.  I am happy to do it.  And I ask people to pray for me… and I hope they do it.

But here is my battle cry, I don’t know Jesus better than you.

I am not closer to Him than you.

Here is the truth: I adore my dad. If you have a couple hours or 4 weeks, I will joyfully tell you about my dad. And you may come to be interested in my dad, like him, idolize him.  And you can ask me to ask my dad for something, and if you really need it, he would probably help you out. He’s a good guy.

 

But you cannot love my dad, adore him, revel in his company simply based on my recollection of him.

And yes, I could tell you about the times my dad has bailed me out… saved my butt, or stood by me when I was in need or grieving. And my stories might add dimension to your admiration for my dad. You might want to get to know him better.

Perhaps you could read about him according to my brother, or my sister, or my mom… still you could not know my dad like I do.

No, in order for you to understand what it is like to love my dad and be loved by my dad you would need to invest 44-years as his little girl.

For the better part of my life I have believed that I needed an intercessory between me and God. I have shelves full books to help me understand God.  I have counted on others to explain God to me and intercede with Him… because God knows or likes them better.

 

My dad likes me better than you.

My God doesn’t like me better than you.

My God likes me different than you.

Furthermore, my God wants to know me and He wants to know you specifically and intimately.

 

More than that – He wants to be made known. He wants us to seek Him, and He promises, we will find Him.

And we can fill the stadiums and listen to Olsteen and Graham explain Him line by line in the same way I could convince you my dad is the best dad that ever was… but God is more than a lesson.

He is more than a one dimensional story.

I could write myself out of a following quite easily by telling you… find out for yourself the TRUTH of who GOD is.

I am convicted of this. Try Him out on your own.

Submerge yourself in His kindness, His adoration, and His general epic-ness.

Get mad at Him for letting you down, for not answering you the way you had hoped.

Make-up with Him when you finally understand exactly what He intended… for your good.

And for those on the fence?  Those who just aren’t quite sure?

On behalf of those that “know Him well,” allow me to apologize for trying to convey His message as He intended it for me… as an individual… and you as an individual.

Forgive us well-meaning Christ-followers. Our zealousness is often misread as arrogant, but some of us, are  just in love. We are radical in our adoration for Him, we want you to experience Him, but we cannot do that for you… although, we sometimes think we can.

And this much I hold dear, He will meet you where you are. He will convict you and mold and shape you and guide and protect you in His way and time. In what you need and what you want and what you think you need and think you want.

 

He is politer than we, the radicals. He is not panic stricken by sexuality, bathroom assignments, coffee cups, or riots.  He is not surprised. He is omnipresent.  In many cases if we would gently step aside you could be where He needs you to be, understanding what you need to understand… as His.

 

And sure, we are told to make Him known among the nations.  And we can share the Good News, dunk you in our tub, and give you crackers and juice, but until He is your Father, until you have interacted with Him for your lifetime… words cannot do justice to what you will know as truth.

 

As much as I am happy to pray for you, as much as I believe in the God of Israel, as much as I believe in a virgin birth in a tiny stable, and a baby boy who would die for me – for you – I believe more that He desires to be truly embraced by YOU.

As someone who likes Him quite a bit, I will say… He’s pretty cool.

May your floors be sticky and your calling ordained.  Love, Jami

“Many women were standing away from the cross, watching. These were the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him” Matthew 27:55