My Cold Walk with Jesus (1 of 2)

A one-log bridge

There are rare moments that are exceptional, unrepeatable, and monumentally influential, even life-changing. They don’t necessarily have to be “real.”

Such was the experience I had a few nights ago discussing life with a friend, a divine and eternal friend, Jesus Christ. Our discussion wasn’t audible. It occurred in the spirit of my mind.

The night air was February cold with a Texas wind chill. The lights of the city twinkled in their distance from the water tower hill where we began our walk. In moments I was at ease, graciously placed there by His easy manner. With His hands stuffed in His jacket pockets and His cap tugged down hard on His head, how could I help but be at ease in His presence.

For some time we walked through the neighborhood talking of heavenly places and the goals of our Father for mankind. I watched my breath crystallize in the diffused light of the city as we drew close, like brothers.

I anticipated a different emotion from what I sensed in Him. I expected Him to be somber, with the seriousness of a man carrying the weight of the world on His shoulders. Literally, the weight of the world. I felt He would be concerned about the way the battle for men’s souls was progressing and the influence of the evil one on His creation. That was silly of me. Concerned? Yes. But burdened? He wasn’t burdened at all by the weight He carried. Quite the contrary. It was as though the burdens cast upon Him were without significant weight. He conveyed the confidence that only God could have.

And yet, the intensity of His heart for mankind was unmistakable. To say that He longed for us to fully understand what He accomplished at the cross would be a gross understatement.

As I stood and looked over the southwest side of Fort Worth, I asked Him what He considered to be the key to experiencing His promise that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Well Pres, the greatest thing that must be understood is that I came to love. There is nothing that I desire more than for man to love to Me back. Relationship. That’s what I’m all about. That’s what heaven is all about. The way I said it in my Book was, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.” That’s the prime directive. Why on earth does man insist on trying to work for Me? Or repay Me? That portrays Me as pretty needy. Hardly. My greatest desire is no different from man’s. We both desire relationship with each other.

As I listened to Him share His heart with me, I thought of Gene Edwards’ book title, The Divine Romance. Exactly. He wants to love us and for us to love Him. His wishes are straightforward and simple. It’s amazing that God would want such a thing. So much so, in fact, that the enemy has successfully tempted us to qualify what God wants based upon how relationships work in the world.

He added, While loving God is the foundation of relationship, knowing that I live in you and you live in me is your ticket to victory during these days on earth, Pres.

I listened and walked on. It didn’t seem to bother Him that there were houses on either side of the street with lights behind the curtains and blinds, people sitting in front of their fireplaces, TVs on, families, some having good times, some bad. Gut-level I figured He would be half tuned to me and half tuned to the great need around Him.  But He had all the time in the world. I didn’t understand, but neither did I think about it for long. Perhaps the enemy was trying to rob me of my moments with Christ.

And to conclude, next are Jesus' final thoughts--along with mine--about how to approach a life where He is in control.