My Relationship With Jesus
December 24, 2023
Faith
December 24, 2023
Faith
Tell me about your relationships with Jesus Is a question I woke up wanting to ask people one day recently. As a new follower of Christ, I was unsure if I was qualified to even utter those words out loud without fully answering that question of myself first. My recent walk with Christ and full embodiment of the Holy Spirit gave me a new understanding of what a relationship with Jesus really meant. A complete and total rebirthing. Three months ago, if someone had asked me point blank, “How’s your relationship with Jesus.” I would have responded with a very long uhhhhhhhh, a curt smile and would have said one of two things depending on my mood, either “I’ll get back to ya on that one” or “WT# kind of question is that?” regardless of my response I would feel anger within 10 seconds.
Three months ago, my faith was mired in self. I don’t discriminate, self-love paired with self-loathing or selfishness garnished with self-pity. It was an all-out Eric party in my mind that left little room for anything other than what was on my calendar, after that, never mind my family, I deserved a break. I wasn’t a deadbeat, but I could have made better choices concerning my wife and son. Bringing Jesus into the equation was out of the question. I didn’t have time to even consider Him let alone build a relationship with Him. Until one day mid-October 2023 when I woke up after having a radical encounter with Him. From that moment on I’ve dedicated every waking moment to giving him the glory he deserves.
Now as I lay in bed on a Wednesday night before an 8:15 AM meeting with a pastor whom I met briefly a week ago at a men’s Bible group. As it turned out he was the lead pastor fora local church. “Tell me about your relationship with Jesus.” playing over and over in my mind an obvious call from the Holy Spirit to ask the Pastor this question. “Am I qualified to ask that question?” I said out loud to myself. I looked over, and in the driver’s seat I saw Jesus.
Hey Jesus, your servant Eric here just checking in. I keep asking you for opportunities to see what I need to see and hear what I need to hear. Every day you continue to show me opportunity and I have received it. I have asked for men to come into my life to hold me accountable and You have delivered that for me. In my first written prayer I asked You to use me as Your vessel. Since then, you have placed men hungry for Your Grace and Glory in my path. I pray to You that I will be able to Shepard these men, not through words alone but THROUGH You Jesus. Walking with You has humbled me. I pray that my ACTIONS are in alignment with my words in service of Your glory.
I just returned from Vivaldi Four Seasons, performed by a quartet in Bethesda by the Sea. Lord, it was done by candlelight; I felt You there. I removed my glasses, closed my eyes and sat in silent prayer. For the entire concert I listened to your laughter and melodies. Your church was full; while not everyone was Your Follower, they all heard you sing tonight. For me, the vibrations and echos sparked the Flame. Talking to You transcends this realm. Communicating in the signs of the times is brilliant Lord and thank you for discernment. THANK YOU!
Jesus, I know you are busy; I will talk to You again in the morning at about 4:30. One last thing, the guy I met today for breakfast from the dinner on Saturday night. He is hungry for you Lord, and I asked him about his relationship with you. His answer wasn’t so great. He frowned and said he doesn’t really know, and I wonder if that means he doesn’t know You at all? I pray that he will pray the prayer I wrote for him, that he will with earnestness seek You and put You in the driver’s seat just as I have. Thank you for being my best friend, mentor, confidant, ego shatterer and Father. Without You, i am nothing.
I spend a lot of time thinking about Jesus, specifically my relationship with him, although still new, we have become fast friends. When I wake, I honor Him with prayer and reading the Bible making his life a priority over my life. As with anything related to God, he knows ALL. You can’t fake your relationship with Jesus, if you are honoring Him; He knows it. The same holds true if you aren’t; He knows.
How do you know if you are in a relationship with Jesus? He will consume you with love for others, you will no longer be motivated by selfish desires or immediate gratification. Your emptiness will become fullness and your self-pity into compassion for others. You will find a new and abundant joy inside your soul that is filled with everlasting peace. Self-loathing will be replaced by the love of creation. Behaviors of others that used to trigger anger will suddenly become an opportunity to grow your relationships, not only with Jesus, but with the person whose behavior upset you. One day you will wake up and realize that you are following Jesus in everything you do. Every decision you make, from the words you utter the moment you feel anger rising up inside you; to the decisions you make when no one else is watching or listening. Being in love with Jesus is a full embodiment of the seven “I Am” statements found in John.
1. I am the Bread of Life: John 6:35 (NIV): “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'”
2. I am the Light of the World: John 8:12 (NIV): “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'”
3. I am the Gate (or Door) for the Sheep: John 10:9 (NIV): “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
4. I am the Good Shepherd: John 10:11 (NIV): “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
5. I am the Resurrection and the Life: John 11:25 (NIV): “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.'”
6. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: John 14:6 (NIV): “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
7. I am the True Vine: John 15:1 (NIV): “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”
Once you have seen the glory of Jesus, you can’t unsee it. To see Jesus is to embody these statements which is to be reborn. A new life is waiting, a life with bountiful harvests, keeping our souls filled with love. Through prayer Jesus offers us guidance, not of a counselor, but as the Alpha and Omega; Jesus knows your story already; he wrote it. Jesus is the master of signs so always listen and look, sometimes he speaks through angels or maybe through the signs of the time. Salvation and glory overflow in abundance all around you; what was once hopelessness now becomes assuredness and even when we fail, we fail with grace. To be in love with Jesus is to be eternally protected from Satan. Satan’s chains of bondage no longer tie you to the materialistic and sinful ways of this world. To love Jesus is to defend him when he is being dishonored and to ask for forgiveness when you dishonor him. Loving Jesus means you know he loves you back, unconditionally. That even when we trip and fall the miracle of his presence comes alongside us and picks us back up. Loving Jesus isn’t easy, love is a faceted word steeped in history, but I think Paul said it best:
