One of the interesting things about being a follower of Jesus is that he has a history and we have our own history. When we meet him and begin to follow, we begin a personal history of our relationship together. I grew up a skeptic. My family attended church regularly when I was small, but despite hearing about Jesus I did not move from myth to personal relationship with the resurrected Jesus until I was a teen. Even then I had a lot to learn.
Josh McDowell was a big help for me coming to understand the difference between scientific fact, that can be repeated, from historical fact, that cannot be repeated. Once I learned of the overwhelming historical evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, I had to make some decisions. If he is really who HE said he was, I had to decide what to do with that information. How can I continue to live as if Jesus was just another good guy?
He was radical in all the right kind of ways. He did not care what the religious leaders of the day thought. He loved people and had the power of the Creator to heal the sick, make the lame walk, blind see and the deaf hear. He even resurrected people from the dead. Yes, it all checks out as historical fact. Best of all he loved people, perfectly… even me… even you. That is what the Cross is all about.
I was still young and idealistic. I left my comfortable life behind to go teach secondary school in Africa so people who had yet to learn about Jesus could hear about him. It was in those times of sickness, loneliness and difficulties, so far from biological family, as well as the joys of new friends and disciples of Jesus that Jesus and I forged our HIStory together.
Looking back over 40 years of shared history with Jesus I find it hard to imagine any other way of life. I have learned, like King David in Psalm 139, that I am never alone. The power and the love of our creator is always with me, no matter what. [emphasis mine]
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
Where are you in your personal history? Are you young and idealistic? ‘Seasoned’ and faithful, with your own full HIStory? Or are you still not sure if Jesus even truly existed? What do you want to ask Him? Whether or not you believe, He is listening. He will find a way to answer so you can know it is Him if you are open to look. (The Bible is a reliable short cut. ;=} )
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