JESUS HAS BEEN THERE
JESUS HAS BEEN THERE.
Only last week, Funmi met a young girl, who appeared to be in a twirl.
Well, Funmi asked her what the matter was, and then the young girl started to speak and this is what she said…
“Sometimes I find myself in a place; where I just want to hide my face,
It is not a place I like to go, because it is filled with tales of woe!
But then again, if the truth be told, it is a place where I need a hand to hold…”
She goes on to tell Funmi about this place of doubt; of many questions left unanswered;
Of fear (sometimes) and uncertainty (often times);
Of movement and stagnation all at once;
Of storms within and even without;
She describes it is a place of SILENCE.
In that place she hears nothing, she sees nothing and she feels absolutely nothing.
It is the place of NUMBNESS.
Though she has been there before she recognises that this is an extremely dangerous place to be. She is very vulnerable there and can be hurt without the foggiest idea of the pain that will engulf her when the numbness wears off. She can be hit there by a deadly arrow and not be aware that a poisonous process of decay has begun and it’s only a matter of time before it is out there for all to see.
So she begins to fret. She frets because it is not the place where she wants to be. Actually, she wants to NOT GO there ever again.
“Take me away”, the young girl says.
“Yank me away and drag me kicking and screaming if you have to but please save me from the numbness. Let me KNOW and FEEL;
His loving arms around me,
His peace like a river, His mercy that endures ever,
His grace that I do not deserve; so that I may observe,
His laws and precepts and live without regrets”.
Wow! This is deep Funmi thinks and is completely taken aback by the young girl’s outburst. Suddenly she sees the girl’s tear-laden eyes and first, she reaches out to hold her hand and then embraces her tight in a cuddle and slowly, begins to speak to her. “Oh dear, this sounds like trouble. But please do not worry because God wants me to tell you this;” “Then call on me when you are in trouble and I will rescue you and you will give me glory”. Psalm 50:15 NLT
“How do I call on Him?” she asks and Funmi responds by telling her that she only needs to call His name like this: “JESUS, please help me”. After all, God has been to that place before and He can relate to her pain. So Funmi explains to her that God is very approachable and accessible through Jesus Christ, His Son. She continues by telling her that Jesus walked the earth and experienced all kinds of emotions just like we do too. So He is not insensitive to the way we feel. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human]in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” Hebrews 4:15 AMP
“So” continues Funmi, “it is fine to cry if that is how you feel right now. But, please, cry out to Him alone.” “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears. Psalm 18:6KJV”
“Please know that whenever you cry out to the Lord, He hears and will attend to you exclusively as your unique situation requires. You must know that you are very special to Him.”
With this the young girl calms down and there are traces of a very faint smile on the corners of her lips. Funmi sighs in relief and says a silent “Thank you Lord”, then sees her off.
Dear friends, that young lady could be you and it really could be me. Whatever you have gone through, are going through or will ever go through, Jesus knows and He can help you through it. He has seen it all, just ask Him and He will give you the strategy to overcome. Let us cultivate the habit of opening up to Him and confiding in Him. Tell Him exactly how you feel and ask Him to help you. It is really just that simple. Let us not complicate this.
Keep it real with Jesus. He has been there before!.
Oluyinka Ego-Martins©
NB: The above article is a work of fiction, any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.