Everything

Wow. Where to start this one? About two weeks ago I was suddenly overwhelmed with how much Jesus really means to me. I feel I had greatly underestimated how much Jesus means to a sinner like me.

It all started when it came my turn to give a campaigners lesson. I often feel uneasy about giving a lesson because I don't like to take such authority unless I really feel the Spirit has put something on my heart or that I have something worth sharing. As I was sitting in a service at my church on Saturday night the main point of what I was to share came to me in the form of a question that popped into my head and really struck me. At one point towards the end of his sermon my pastor was talking about how we turn to other things to feel full, accepted, or happy other than God. And for whatever reason I suddenly had to ask myself "Is Jesus enough?" I continued to reflect on this question and it furthered into "Is Jesus my everything?" and "What does Jesus really mean to me?" I took this thought and ran with it further.

That Sunday I was driving to Starbucks to plan my lesson. Little did I know I would be the one to receive a lesson myself. I had my iPod playing some Tim Hughes. His song "Everything" came on and I just got lost in it and maybe shed some tears. Listen to this song! It's great! I could do nothing but shout the refrain as loud as I could; "Be my everything!" In all I do, Jesus, be my everything.

I arrived at Starbucks and just started writing down some thoughts and flipping through my bible looking for verses of things that Jesus is to us. I was completely overwhelmed. I sat there for 2 hours blaring Tim Hughes on my iPod and pouring over the Word. As I found verse after verse I felt as though I was reading things that I had somehow forgotten.

Jesus is our joy. He wants to give us joy. (John 15:11, John 16:24)
Jesus is our life. By Him we receive eternal life (John 20:31, John 12:50, John 11:25-26, John 10:9-11, John 10:27-28, John 8:51)
Jesus is our freedom. He wants to set us free! (John 8:31)
Jesus is our victory! (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Jesus is our help. By Him we receive mercy and grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
Jesus is our rest. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus goes to prepare a place for us. (John 14:1-4)
Jesus is our peace. (John 14:27)

This is all that I came up with in a short time. I'm confident there are even more verses that echo the same things or different things. As you may see John was a big chunk of where I found a lot of good stuff. As I flipped through the pages of John I wondered how I had ever read John so lightly. John is an awesome book! Read it!

Also during my planning time I across a publication. Here is an excerpt from it that I really liked:

"When Jesus took on human nature He also took on human weakness, the capacity to sin, and the smallness of a child, the ability to be crushed and vulnerable. He became just one individual up against an unjust system that eventually crucified Him. He was not a stainless steel robot or a Terminator. He was no Rambo. He was fully human, wept, got tired and eventually was overcome by powerful forces and put to death. Yet in God's plan this weakness was to be a great strength. He now is in the heavenly realms interceding for us, understanding us, empowering us. He is our Savior."

For me this brings an understanding of what it meant for Jesus to enter our world, to take on flesh. He became weak for our sake, that there might be a sacrifice that covers sin once and for all. Thereby which we have access to the Kingdom. An everlasting kingdom that does not fade.

Another story that served as a catalyst for this lesson I was being taught is that of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23). The rich young ruler ask Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He had kept every command of the old law and yet, Jesus tells him he lacks one thing. Jesus says to the man "One thing  you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me" (emphasis added). This man lacked only one thing that disqualified him from eternal life. He lacked Jesus. He had many, many things, but had no room for Jesus. The rich young ruler walks away saddened. He couldn't let go of all that he had and take Jesus for all he has to offer. The possessions of this man kept him from following Christ.

As I read this parable I couldn't help, but think of myself as the rich young ruler. I may not have great wealth as he had, but I do have many things. Many things that I don't know if I could let go of so easily. Some of the things we have in our lives may keep us from following Jesus, from letting him into our lives completely, from going where he calls us.

From all this I conclude that Jesus is everything. If Jesus is everything, than the rich young ruler, who lacked Jesus, really had nothing. For in the end all the rich young ruler's possessions would fade. Jesus is my everything. I need to let go of everything but Jesus.

Since this lesson two weeks ago I have reminded myself everyday that Jesus is my everything. In doing this I feel much closer to Him and the Father. As though Jesus is walking right beside me each day. I've also just had a surreal trust in the Lord. Jesus has been almost my every thought each day. He is all I want each day. Just to feel like at some point I've been right in his presence.