Sunday, January 23, 2011

They Are Precious In His Sight



[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"]A homeless man in Paris[/caption]


The homeless man on the street---the one holding the sign that says he will work for food..... He does need food. Everyone needs to eat. To survive. Even more than food he  needs to know Jesus. Not a pious "Jesus" that throws him some crumbs. Not a "Jesus" that tells him to move off the corner because he's making the street look dirty. Not a "Jesus" that looks the other way, because the homeless guy makes him uncomfortable. This man hurts physically from lack of shelter and food. He hurts spiritually because he wonders if this is all there is for him? All he deserves?  He needs to meet the REAL Jesus.

The business man in the expensive Italian suit needs Jesus too. He needs the "Jesus" that will accept him. The "Jesus" that knows he's not perfect but loves him anyway. He needs the "Jesus" that doesn't expect him to work so hard for things...that life becomes meaningless. This man is handsome, and intelligent. He smiles...but, inside he is unsure. Balancing precariously on the line between great and never good enough. He's afraid he is going to lose his balance. Afraid that this is all there is in life. He longs for more than the flashy car and the empty apartment. This man needs to meet the REAL Jesus.

The married couple that believe that this life is all there is. They are not sure if there really is a Jesus. And if there is, they aren't sure they need him. They are self sufficient. Life is fun.....until it isn't. Until something happens. Then they wonder....what about this Jesus? Is he real? And does he care? And if he does, why? They are scared to face this unknown. They think maybe if they fill their lives with stuff, they can forget the doubts that creep into their thoughts when the music has stopped...and it is quiet.  They need to meet the REAL Jesus.

The woman that stares at her reflection in the mirror with self-loathing. She realizes that she will never be tall, and slender and have perfect skin. Her reality is what she looks at in the mirror every day. She pinches and pokes at her flesh with merciless fingers. She longs for beauty, but sees none of it in herself. Sometimes she wants to die. It would be easier that way. She doesn't understand that she is beautiful in Jesus' eyes. She needs to know the REAL Jesus.

The young man that is the star athlete. The one all the colleges want. The pride of his hometown. He has the world before him, and yet he is unsure and scared. When one is put on a pedestal it is so easy to fall. He worries that people will find out that he isn't perfect.  This boy needs to know the REAL Jesus.

The world is full of people that need to know the real Jesus. The young child, the rebellious teen, the scholar, the athlete, the mom, the dad, the business man, the young woman, the homeless, the prostitute, the dancer, the computer geek, the friend, and even the enemy. They all need Him.

The REAL Jesus is not the church building, though the church is made of people that should be the body of Christ. The REAL Jesus isn't the pastor, minister, priest, or elder, though this person should have the mind and heart of Christ.  The REAL Jesus isn't a charity or mission, though these groups should be the hands and feet of Christ. Since we live in an imperfect world...sometimes these groups, buildings, people are mistaken for Jesus.

The REAL Jesus is so much more than that. He is the Anointed One, Son of God, King of the Ages, Light of the World, Lord, Sure Foundation, The Most Holy, Wonderful Counselor, the Ransom for All Men.....and Salvation for mankind.

Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10) He and he alone is the One that sees us as we really are. We are all imperfect. We fail. We are fake. We lie. We regret. We say things we shouldn't and don't say things we should. The conversations that we have with ourselves are things we wouldn't dare share with another. As much as we might long to do the right thing, we are pulled into doing the very things that make us want to kick ourselves.

That is why Jesus came.

Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.




Romans 5:7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?




Romans 8:39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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