Getting To Know Jesus

We sing an old song with words that are varied by the times and singer. There is no known author of these words, but they ring so true and we use them often.

To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus!
On earth I long to be like Him!
All thru life’s journey from earth to glory,
I only ask to be like Him.

I woke this morning with these and many other similar songs and words on my mind. We are living in tough times, and I have words written but not shared that describe how it is possible to get through these times.

So. Today. I thought it appropriate to simply read some words of Jesus that describe him to others, and hopefully opens up an insight of knowing Jesus better.

Are we connected to Him as He is to us?

How much like Jesus am I?

It was after his resurrection that Jesus started showing himself to the disciples in various locations and times. From appearing to Mary Magdalene at the tomb, to a room where the disciples were hiding from certain arrest, and into a room to dispel the doubts of Thomas. Jesus was revealing himself to his followers.

This is one such time.

Let me share with you a different translation that speaks in modern words we all understand. (John 21:1-14 GW)

Later, by the Sea of Tiberias [Galilee], Jesus showed himself again to the disciples.
This is what happened.

Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples of Jesus were together.
Simon Peter said to the others, “I’m going fishing.”
They told him, “We’re going with you.”
They went out in a boat but didn’t catch a thing that night.

As the sun was rising, Jesus stood on the shore.
The disciples didn’t realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus asked them, “Friends, haven’t you caught any fish?”
They answered him, “No, we haven’t.”
He told them, “Throw the net out on the right side of the boat, and you’ll catch some.”
So they threw the net out and were
unable to pull it in because so many fish were in it.
The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he put back on the clothes that he had taken off and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came with the boat and dragged the net full of fish.
They weren’t far from the shore, only about 100 yards.
When they went ashore, they saw a fire with a fish lying on the coals,
and they saw a loaf of bread.
Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.”
Simon Peter got into the boat and pulled the net ashore.
Though the net was filled with 153 large fish, it was not torn.

Jesus told them, “Come, have breakfast.”
None of the disciples dared to ask him who he was.
They knew he was the Lord.
Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had come back to life.
(John 21:1-14 GW)

Okay. Now What?

Here’s my routine. Read. Digest. Ruminate. Read again. Contemplatively, look for insight. Then jot some notes (paper or digital) concerning what my mind has perceived. Cross-reference it with other notes. Sum it up. There. I now have a better picture of the moment.

This brings me to an example.

You may not know who Fanny Crosby is, but there’s a great history of our singing and understanding of Jesus written in the 19th century by this lady who was blind. She was prolific in her writing of songs and poems. Over 9,000 songs and a multitude of published poetry, and other writings.

Why so prolific?

Crosby set a goal of winning a million people to Christ through her hymns, and whenever she wrote a hymn she prayed it would bring women and men to Christ, and kept careful records of those reported to have been saved through her hymns.^[203]

She was blinded, it seems, by a childhood sickness when she was only 6 months old. She died at the age of 94 (life span – March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915). Her focus was geared upon her mission work and the messages she could produce. Think about her like this, one of her familial lines of family history brought us the crooner, Bing Crosby.

What if…?

What would life had been if she had been able to see? She has this response.

“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.”

It would seem we all live with some limitations of life. Whether it’s physical, or circumstantial, we have a reason why we are not better at something. Better parent. Worker. Money manager. Friend. Name it, we all have something we excuse from our life because we have a reason why.

Not Fanny. Her limitations seem to have drawn her into an avenue of understanding Jesus better than most, and she was prolific in her expression of words about her experience and understanding.

How About Us?

We are isolated and filling up our moments with wasteful things. We could simply go fishing. But Jesus is waiting with fish in hand on the shoreline. Cast out to a different side, and you will catch a lot of fish! Are you ready? Let’s be more productive with what we have as a calling, interest or desire.

Oh, to be like Jesus….