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Stay Here Jesus?
Stay Here Jesus?
Many times in life we might think we were born in the wrong era. How wonderful it would have been to be called by Jesus and walk with him, watching him treat people the way he did, only to be greatly disappointed when he left! How could he leave? If Jesus is eternal, why can’t he be eternal here on earth? Heaven would be here, if he had just stayed here. So why did he have to leave? Plus if we are going to be with him again, why must he stay away? What am I missing?
So let us have a thought experiment. What would have been the result if Jesus had just stayed on earth, eternally?
People would have been content to walk with him wherever he went, just like we read in the gospels. We would be content with Christ simply, visibly. What would have been so lacking with that? But he must have some good reason for leaving us. The apostles were sorry he was leaving, “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:6-7). Jesus wants in you, not simply with you. Spiritually lazy, I want to be with him more than I want to be like him. Spiritually strong, Jesus is not content with mere earthly camaraderie. His mission of compassion, love, restoration of souls and obedience to the Father’s will is paramount.
”Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10)
This will not be accomplished by me merely watching Jesus or reading Jesus. I can gain understanding, but not learn by these methods. Learning only comes in practice.
Not to practice on mannequin disciples who have no flaws, no smells, no misunderstandings of God’s will. But learning to practice Jesus with broken souls who are as misguided and emotionally unintelligent as you find yourself on your bad days. You can still love yourself, and you can love them too.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17). That same spirit Jesus had must be developed now “in you”, in me too. Not content to be merely beside us, but for us to become Jesus-like, in all his suffering and hardship, and later to be crowned with his glory. Dan Peters
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