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July 15

Jesus Came

[Jesus said,] “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 19:10 (WEB)

Look at that profound and yet beautiful statement: Jesus came to seek and save what was lost. Jesus came as a man. I can not even understand the many reasons why Jesus came fully man and fully God. I can’t really wrap my mind around what that means much less the ‘why’ of it. I do know that God Himself came here on earth as a man. He had to sleep. He had to eat. He had to earn a wage. He had to love – some people easier than others maybe in His humanness! He had to grieve when His earthly father, Joseph, died. He had to suffer physically the whipping and crucifixion. He had to suffer the scorn of His family and His church. Jesus did all of this (and more!) because of love. Love that I did not deserve or ask Him to give. Love that had He asked I probably would have refused it. Up until the age of 40, I was convinced that I could handle (and should handle) my life and if I just worked hard and had some ‘breaks’ from fate – my life and that of my family would be OK. I signed up for church. That was an important box to be checked. I like to do stuff and I could use my expertise and talents there. I did not accept free gifts. Church was a place to pay my dues so I stayed on God’s good side so He would like me.

Jesus came to find me even when I did not know I was lost and needed saving. And there is also the fact that there were times I did know I was so very unhappy (lost) but still thought I could make it better. I should be able to do this!

“He was there all the time. Waiting patiently in line...” – Gary S. Paxton, 1975

Jesus came and when I stopped digging that hole and reached out my hand; sweaty and dirty like I was, helpless to do anything more on my own, Jesus’ hand was there waiting to grasp mine and lift me up. I still get sweaty and dirty when I step off the path but that is for another day.

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You. You love me even when I am most unlovable. You see me as I can be and show me the way – walking before me. Thank You. Those are my words for today: Thank You.