Just Give Me Jesus - Lisa U Maki
There is no one in this world, who has personally experienced Jesus, and who has not fallen in love with Him. There is something about this Man that sucks you in... something that magnetizes you to Him... something that burns your heart. All of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior know this too well. Yet, how come some of us lose that first love?
In Revelations 2, God addressed the church of Ephesus saying...
2 - I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.
3 - I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.
4 - But I have this against you: that you have left the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].
We can lose that first love we had for Jesus, no matter how much we say that we love Him. This is no different from falling out of love in any relationship, most especially marriage. A husband and/or wife can lose that first love if they don't nurture their marriage. So if we don't nurture our relationship with Jesus, then we can surely lose that first love.
How do you nurture this relationship? Let's not go far. How do you nurture a marriage? Shouldn't you be spending quality time everyday? Shouldn't you be talking to each other intimately at the end of the day for each one to know how the day has been? Shouldn't you be going out on dates occasionally, away from everyone? Shouldn't you give each other some surprises every now and then? The list can go on.
Now let's go back to our relationship with Jesus. Outside of an intimate relationship with Jesus, there is no relationship with Him. I know there may be some who don't want to hear this but this is the truth. Jesus Himself said in John 17:3 that "Eternal life is knowing God". The word "know" here is the same "know" that was used in the Bible about marriage such as... Adam knew Eve. Thus, to nurture an intimate relationship with Jesus means that you have to spend undivided time alone with Him every day, just as a married couple has to spend time with each other, alone, without their children, friends, or other family members.
This is where a lot of Christians are failing, more so for those who are so busy in ministry. I remember asking my former pastor in the past... "Pastor, you are so busy, when do you spend quiet time with God"? Then he said (while extending his arms)... "Everything I do in this church is my time with God". I felt grieved. My very own pastor didn't understand the concept of intimacy, or perhaps he lost his first love because of the busyness of ministry.
What drew you to Jesus? Wasn't it His love? What is the essence of salvation? Isn't it having a personal relationship with Jesus? JESUS then is all we need.
When Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, they saw a certain man crippled from his birth. This man was actually begging for charitable gifts from those who entered the temple. So he asked Peter and John for a gift and they gazed at him intently, and said, "Look at us!" Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" (Acts 3:1-6)
Peter and John gave to the man what was the most essential... JESUS! They could have raised money for the man or asked somebody else's help. For sure they had some ministry funds. Yet, they gave him JESUS.
I am truly blessed by those ministries who walk their talk... who just don't preach but put what they are preaching into action... who feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and give shelter to the homeless. These are charitable acts that are pleasing to the Lord. However, by doing this, are we really leading these people to Jesus, the blesser, more than the blessings? Jesus Himself said in John 6:26: You are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. If we give Jesus to people... if we point them to Him, then they will be fed for a lifetime. In the same way, if Jesus matters to us more than our ministries, then we will never burn out.
Jesus is all I need. I don't need anything else. Just give me Jesus.
Lisa Maki is the founder of God'z Gurlz, a Bible-based online magazine for women whose mission is to is to provide a place where women can learn to manage their emotions, experience healing, receive love and acceptance, be free to be who God made them to be, and be the best they can be in their homes, schools, professions, relationships, and calling, through sharing of insights and experiences, counseling, prayer, and devotionals, thereby learning from and supporting each other. For more of Lisa's articles, visit http://godzgurlz.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_U_Maki Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6942975