BLOG: There Was Jesus
There Was Jesus
by Rocky Fleming
There Was Jesus
Every time I try to make it on my own Every time I try to stand, I start to fall And all those lonely roads that I have traveled on There was Jesus
When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus
In the waiting, in the searching In the healing, in the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment Where I've been or where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it There was Jesus
For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness and a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus There was Jesus
As I look back over my life, I do not see a linear, smooth life that led me to where I am. Instead I see many instances of crossroads that were caused by broken dreams, mountains, valleys and shipwrecks of sort. Many family, friends and casual observers who have watched my life did not know the internal struggles and brokenness and healing that was forming in my life. They saw a man that appeared strong on the outside and confident with where I was headed, but inside, out of their sight, I knew I was weak and fearful. I had heard all my life that I must make of myself the man I hoped to be. But my efforts fell short on those objectives, and disappointment would follow. In all of those times I could weather the storm only one way and that was because there was Jesus standing beside me. I have been able to look back and see these crossroads as a choice that I was required to make, for I wasn’t given the luxury to stay on my agenda, and to track the path that I had laid out for myself and my family. One road would lead one way and the other another way. One way would represent the ways of the world and the other the ways of Jesus. One way represented a road of perceived predictability, and the other a road requiring faith in an unknown and unseen journey that would lead to somewhere good, although I had no idea what it would be. The only thing that assured me that the faith road was the right choice to make was Jesus standing there beckoning me to come. There was Jesus. I have discovered that every road that led in the right direction toward Him has been contrary to my instincts and ways of the world. The world would have told me that I could not be where I am. My high school and college friends could not, and my teachers would not have seen it in my future. Neither could I see the things God has invited me to. The man He started with is not the man He has reformed and is now being used by God. That old man had to be broken and reformed into the man of a vision God had for him. But each break in my hardened heart and self-centered nature was soothed by a loving nail scarred hand that was near me. There was Jesus. The crossroads required a choice for me to make, and I chose Jesus and His path. For that reason, I can always affirm a decision that someone chose to follow Jesus, and the path He takes them on. For that reason, my continuous call for the rest of my life is to abide in Jesus, for He is there waiting for us to come close and discover the man or woman He can make of us, and one He can use mightily. My life is not unique in its choice of paths, for many people have discovered what I’ve discovered. In many ways my faith has been founded on the foundation of many other faithful people who have shared their life and have paved the way for me to understand that there is more to the Christian life than we often understand. There is a deeper place. There is a hard to describe place of abiding in the presence of Almighty God that reinforces everything we believe about an intimate all present God who loves us like a good Father does for His son or daughter. This is the path that He has been steadily leading me to. But it required a choice and a change all along the way. In all circumstances there was Jesus standing by me and compelling me to come toward Him, as He led me to the desires of my heart. I ask you to consider that he too has done this for you. Look back over the crossroads of your life and connect the dots with how a change in direction has led you to where you are now. Best of all, consider any crossroad that you are now facing that requires a choice with where Jesus leads you or with where the world would lead you. I tell you a truth. If you are His kid, He will never desert you. If you will follow where He leads, no matter how frightening it may look, He will lead you to the desires of your heart. Always remember. There is Jesus. He will never leave you.