Jesus Cares
The statement is easy to say but we need to know it as more than just an intellectual truth. If you have a church background, as a child you probably sang, ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.’ While this is true, we are also created for a genuine relationship with Jesus. In my own experience and in talking with others, theory doesn’t carry the same weight as practical experience. Faith is a starting point but it is meant to be an entry point into something further.
I think of it this way, I can intellectually know Jesus loves me but that is insufficient. I don’t want to just intellectually know my wife loves me. I know that I have grandchildren, yet I also want to interact and have a relationship with them. In Ephesians 3 Paul highlights the importance of experience in our relationship with Jesus.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. -Ephesians 3:14–21 (NKJV)
There is a lot that could be unpacked in this short passage but we will focus on two key words, one that leads to the other, comprehend and know. Bear in mind Paul is addressing a corporate experience that would obviously lead into an individual one as well. We begin with comprehend, if we think of reading comprehension, it isn’t enough to just read the words, we need to grasp the meaning of whatever we are reading if we are to comprehend it. Similarly, the Greek word which is translated as comprehend means to ‘lay hold of.’ The word translated as know means to ‘recognize’ or ‘perceive.’ Paul was telling the Ephesian believers that he wanted them to comprehend and know something that passes knowledge. That is, his prayer was for an experience of Jesus’ love, a knowing of the “width and length and depth and height’ of it.
Paul wrote this to those who were already walking with Jesus yet he longed for them to have a deeper encounter. It is similar to his prayer in chapter 1 of Ephesians, praying that we would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Father. Now personally, I have had encounters with Jesus, I believe mainly because I have sought Him and I have prayed Paul’s prayers after him. In wanting to know Jesus, I have met Him in worship, I have felt His presence during sermons, and I am often conscious of His presence when hiking in the mountains. I find myself drawn to prayer and worship while hiking. Yet I have also encountered Him in brokenness because He meets us where we are. I can remember a very discouraging time in my life over 30 years ago. I was home alone and knelt down to pray and pour out my heart. Then I briefly felt an arm around my shoulder as I knelt at the couch. His touch comforted and brought peace to my wounded heart.
Thus, I believe that both theology and experience validate, ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.’ Yet I want you as well to know that Jesus cares. In light of that I encourage you to reflect back on the times you have seen His hand move in your life, the times you have been aware of His presence, and by extension His care and love for you. Knowing Jesus I am confident that you have these memories to draw upon to strengthen your walk with Him. Why not do that now?
——————
(Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash)