When you are quiet and at rest, do you visualize yourself with Jesus? What is He like and what is it that attracts you to Him?
I don’t know why he appears to me this way.
But he does.
He’s usually sitting by a creek,
On a boulder, with room left for me.
He doesn’t say a word,
but His quiet isn’t silence.
His quiet is kindness.
He has no expectations.
He is happy that I am there.
I walk over to sit next to him.
Sometimes, he holds my hand.
Sometimes, he wraps his arm around me.
We listen to the water trickling by.
I don’t have to say a word.
He knows everything that has happened to me,
He knows how it’s shaped me,
He knows how to reach me.
There are so many reasons to be attracted to Jesus. Throughout time, songs have been sung, poems have been penned about the wonderful ways of Jesus. But when it comes down to it, knowing Jesus is really a love story.
How did yours begin and how is continuing to be written?
One Quality
No matter how much time has passed, it seems there is one quality about Jesus that continues to draw me close to him.
It’s not because He is powerful.
It’s not because He is holy.
All of this is true.
But for me, I’ve come to trust him because of this…
Jesus is acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3)
The Hebrew word for acquainted is “yada” meaning —
to know by experience
to see and perceive
Jesus could have chosen to distinguish himself by charm, intellect, or riches.
But, He chose an attribute that everybody else would rather forget, hide and avoid.
He chose to know through personal experience the things that cause us to feel small, overlooked and alone. He felt sadness, loss, loneliness, and disappointment.
That is why I’m attracted to Jesus.
Familiar
He isn’t afraid of weakness. He is drawn with tenderness to me and loves me right through it.
There are no problems so enduring that it would tire him of me.
There is no difficulty that would cause him to be impatient with me.
Nothing that can drive him away.
He is familiar with all my ways. It’s in that intimacy that he loves me and he died for me.
“He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Isaiah 42:3)
His grief makes him gentle, kind, and compassionate. He isn’t loud or out for attention. He is attentive.
Joy
A person understands grief is also someone who treasures joy.
Because Jesus is familiar with grief, I beam when he tells me, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10).
It thrills my heart to hear him say this because it means seeds of joy are being planted alongside the ones sown in tears.
Jesus knows the hunger for joy that sorrow leaves in its wake.
Jesus is Living Water that —
refreshes my heart to laugh with a friend who visits for a bit,
sigh with contentment over a lazy day,
squeal like a child as I point out a violet sunset to my children.
Jesus is here for us, so that we can find companionship with each other on this journey together.
His acquaintance with grief says our world can always be new again, friends.
He’s given us His heart, pouring it broken, in exchange for you and me.
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How do you imagine being with Jesus?
What is one quality that attracts you to Jesus today?
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26 Comments
I really love that… Jesus knows me because he also knows grief.
You wrote: “He chose to know through personal experience the things that cause us to feel small, overlooked and alone. He felt sadness, loss, loneliness, and disappointment.”
What a great thing to remember when you are feeling low…when you are inclined to sit in your own pity-party… that Jesus knows how you feel…and because of that, and because of his sacrifice, you can surrender it all to him. He will take you through it.
Good words.
Good reminder.
=)
Pity-party changes when we find someone who is loving there with us. We feel refreshed and renewed when we’re no longer alone. Hugs, Brooke!
I think it’s so important to remember that grief enables us to experience joy. What an example he gave us by living out the entire human experience so that He could make Holy God accessible to sinful people — he came that we might have life and have it to the full! Great truth here, Bonnie. Thank you!
Hi Alyssa! It’s just where my thoughts went this week, thinking about Lent – and how Jesus makes it easy to come to Him time and again. I hope this week finds you snuggled in Him, friend.
I love the image of him sitting on a rock with room left for me. Love it.
-Bob
Hi Robert, blessings to you, as we all make our way to Him this week!
I also experience Jesus in the quiet solitude of His created beauty, Bonnie. Thank you for the wonderful verses and the wisdom of your words. Very much resonated with me.
Hi Julie — just sharing as you do from your heart. 🙂 Smiles to you…
He can truly say “I’ve been there”. I love that about Him. We really do have a Savior who can sympathize with our weaknesses and sorrow. So great!
It makes joy a risk we can take. He’s there for us time and again. Love visiting this am with you, Jennifer!
I lost my sweet golden retreiver of nine years a few weeks ago. I took my first walk without him yesterday and cried all the way around the neighborhood. I thought it was an appropriate day to grieve, on Ash Wednesday. I look forward to joy on Easter and hopefully the tears will be gone by then. Lovely words about the tenderness of Christ Bonnie. I love the way Jesus loves us just as we are, that is what I wrote about today.
Shelly, THANK YOU for sharing what you did about grief — and adding the point of Easter. It really rounds out this post. I was curious if this reflection on grief would resonate and it’s sweet to share this place of Ash Wednesday together in our own way… with the hope of joy. I am SO sorry for what’s happened. I have a soft spot for golden retrievers, so I can only imagine how much you miss him. *hugs* to you across the miles as your love for him is expressed now through tears, friend.
That He knows what has shaped me! He knows my whole story and He still loves me. He remembers the times I was obedient to Him and giving even though I have forgotten and sometimes just see the selfishness in me. I love that He wants to speak to me through His word if I will spend the time and look~
Precious words Bonnie & beautiful imagery indeed. I was right there with you!
He comes to me as the lover of my soul. No matter if we are enjoying sitting on a bench together or under a tree in a garden with nearby rivers of fresh & calm waters with flowers all around, even if he comes when I am crying to him in my bathroom floor or walking out in the park, He comes and loves my soul. He knows what it feels like to be rejected, misunderstood, unloved, unseen. He knows the pain of that and He takes me in His arms and rocks me or we dance. Sometimes we get in the waters and He asks: “want to go deeper?” and I say yes! Take me deeper with you. He does. Sometimes he comes and sweeps me off my feet and is like an eagle over me covering me as we fly…I see so much then.
He is the one that loves me when no one else does, The one who sees me when no one else can, the one who comforts me and understands me, He is SO faithful! Even when I have been in the deepest pits of despair and hopelessness and thinking to myself, “that’s it. I’ve done it for good this time Lord. I see no way out. I am undone. I am not worth it. I don’t deserve your love, I hace sinned again…still…He comes. When my heart brakes over what I have done or things just crumbling all around me, He comes….He loves me…He whispers to me: I love you Adaykis. I love you fully, completely & unconditionally. I am crazy in love with you and I will never ever ever let you go! He loves my soul! and as I fall into His arms, He rocks me and soothes me and my tears become less and I start to experience such love, such peace, such…joy! Joy in His presence knowing that no matter what, I am His and He is mine and He loves me, He tends to me and heals my heart and never ever leaves me. He restores my soul time and time again & I love His presence. I know He transforms me and puts more pieces of my heart back together in those moments. lol
This describes my feelings EXACTLY
“I walk over to sit next to him.
Sometimes, he holds my hand.
Sometimes, he wraps his arm around me”
As someone who does not have the luxury of feeling human arms around her I treasure His touch. I grew up in a very “touchy feely” home and had the same in my marriage. Since my husband died there is no one so I imagine Jesus doing that so often.
I also think of when He was kneeling in the Garden – all alone. Your words “He chose to know through personal experience the things that cause us to feel small, overlooked and alone. He felt sadness, loss, loneliness, and disappointment” are the perfect description. To me at that time He was 110% human.
Many mornings as I walk the dog I think of what Jesus would have been doing at that hour. It’s usually around 6:30 so I think he’s on the shore waiting for the Apostles to bring in the day’s catch. Maybe He has breakfast waiting for them. Mary Magdelene might be with Him.
I’d like to be there too. Just sitting and waiting in silence. Enjoying the early morning quiet and looking at the sky as it becomes bright.
I could imagine in my mind reciting Psalm 23 as I read your post, Bonnie. (The Lord is my Shepherd….He leads me beside still waters….He restores my soul) Do you think that is where you got your image from? Anyways, thanks for your beautiful post! It is truly a comfort to know He understands everything we experience in life!!
In His Lo♥e, Ann
He knows me and sees me! He did life too, not as a king or a man with great wealth, but a lowly boy that grew up and worked as a carpenter. He’s just like us, but still God. He gets the hurts of rejection and feels our pain when we experience death of a loved one. He gets it! I love Him for that! He didn’t have to but He did.
Loved your great visual of sitting with Jesus!
Have a blessed weekend!
He knows me and sees me and loves me…..weakness and all.
Thank you for such a beautiful and inspiring post Bonnie.
Speaking assurance and rest into me… “He isn’t afraid of weakness. He is drawn with tenderness to me and loves me right through it.” and “Nothing can drive Him away.” Thank You Bonnie. He’s so cool to want me even with the ugliness of my life. Even more cool that the beauty isn’t what makes Him love me more. He just does!
I wrote yesterday about how just the thought of ashes and Ash Wednesday so soon after my mom’s death made my heart ache. I’m so grateful that He can meet me with His comfort because He knows. He really knows.
In a state of grieving it can easily be forgotten our Savior was God and man. I really needed that reminder today.
Lovely thoughts
Good morning. I love reading what you write. God is here, there and everywhere. When you are sleeping, I picture Him watching over me, when I am at work, He is there with me cheering me on, wherever I go, He is with me. I am never alone. Sometimes it seems like that but then I focus on Jesus and know without a shadow of a doubt, He is with me. He is leading me, guiding me, loving me through whatever I go through. He is love and love is what every human desires. God bless and have a great day.
Oh, definitely His love—that nothing can separate me from His love. How attractive is that?! 🙂
[…] you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.This week, my friend Bonnie (The Faith Barista) is asking us to think about trust this week. What does that look like in our lives? How do we […]
I always loved that scene in Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer when they go back to the island of misfit toys to rescue the forgotten toys….That is how I think of myself sometimes, but I know that Jesus loves me with all my imperfections! I think of He and I sitting in nature, much like you….by a river or creek, on a wonderful sunny spot….Oh I love the mental images I get from this wonderful post! Lori