A Personal Savior
“Jesus wants a personal relationship with you.”
“Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.”
These quotes are representative of concepts that I have heard about Jesus and Christianity my whole life. I have at various times embraced and rejected these notions. I have come to the conclusion that this idea is true, even if it is somewhat incomplete in ways.
We recently came across this passage in our family chapel time. I have been looking at scripture with new and fresh eyes of late and saw something I never noticed before.
“After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”
Matthew 15:29–32
The small phrase I had never really noticed before was when Jesus said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days. . .” This blew me away.
So often we don’t get these references to time as we read through the Gospels. I’m so thankful it was here this time. Jesus had been personally speaking to, touching and healing folks for three days. He took the time to interact with each person. He is God and could have just as easily spoken and healed them all in an instant, but that is not what he chose. Jesus desired to personally interact with each person, around 12000 of them.
Do you believe it is any different now?
I believe that Jesus still chooses to interact with each of his children personally, and because He is also fully human, he can do that in a different way than even God the father of the Holy Spirit.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15
Yes, Jesus is a personal savior. He experienced humanity for himself. He endured suffering and pain. He experienced joy and happiness. He knows and he cares. And, he wants a personal relationship with you.
Praise God for that!
Love one another.
