Knowing Jesus

Knowing Jesus… Before we start our Lenten series, I want to start by taking you back more than twenty years to the night I met Jesus.

My Testimony

On November 10, 1997, I finished teaching my group fitness class and hurried to the church to make it on time. I arrived at the church’s fellowship hall and tried to locate an inconspicuous seat. Worn out, I sat down, expecting another routine church event.  

Everyone found their seat, and my friend and mentor began to speak. I intently listened as she spoke. Captured by what she had to say, I started to feel things within me I had never felt before, extreme comfort and conviction.  

“I died for you, I cried for you, and I always will love you.”

 Another lady got up and sang a beautiful song. The words beautifully rolled off her tongue, “I died for you, I cried for you, and I always will love you.” As she sang, I knew that night would turn my life around. 

My friend moved forward to speak again, and I could feel warm tears streaming down my face. I had tears of love for my Savior and tears of repentance; I could not control myself.

She had with her a beautiful Jewish prayer shawl. It was white with beautiful shades of purple and gold on each end. She explained that in the Jewish custom, they wear these shawls during wedding ceremonies. She asked Sam and me to come forward to use us as examples. This is not exactly the time I want everyone to see me.

“I will always hold you and love you forever.”

She took the delicate shawl and wrapped it around Sam, and asked him to take the other half and wrap it around me. She continued by saying, “Jesus wore one, and He told the people, ‘Once you are under my cloth I will always hold you and love you forever.’” In other words, once you are saved, a part of His family, Jesus will always be with you. At this moment, surrounded by the cloth, I felt a great love towards Sam, but an even greater love towards my Savior. I felt encapsulated by His presence. It is amazing how the Lord can use a physical experience to demonstrate His love for us.

Accepting Jesus

As the gathering continued, another lady got up to speak. She began by telling us how Jesus feels toward us. She turned to me and said, “Jesus says when you hurt, I hurt. When you are happy, I am happy.” I felt the words penetrate my heart. As the evening closed, the ladies held the shawl and asked us to walk under it to represent our acceptance of Christ.

I really just wanted to sit and disappear, to try and grasp what was going on within me. I mustered up enough courage to follow the others, but I could not help but go to my friend instead. She held me and whispered to me what a good pastor’s wife I would become.

Most of the women had left by now, so she rounded up the other leaders to come and pray for me. I did not know how much more I could handle. Overwhelmed does not even come close to describing my emotions.

His presence was so powerful.

I felt the warmth of their hands upon my shoulders and the softness of the shawl wrapped around me once again. They began praying. Their words brought me the peace that surpasses all understanding. I knew that night Jesus did not pass me by. His presence was so powerful. When I walked in, I believed in Jesus and understood who He was. When I left that night, He was real to me. I left knowing Jesus. He was a part of me, and I knew all I wanted was more.

In trying to describe the emotions, I felt that night the only word that comes to mind is intimacy, intimacy with the Almighty. So I looked it up to see exactly what intimacy meant. According to Webster’s Dictionary, intimacy means, “Most private or personal, very close or familiar or deep and thorough.” How perfect. I had never experienced closeness in such a way before. The Lord knew what I needed. He sought me out and saved me.

Do You Know Jesus?

I want to ask you if you know Jesus on an intimate level. Do you know Him as your Savior?

If you already know Him, I want to challenge you this week to seek to know Him on a more personal level. Ask Him to draw you closer. Ask Him to reveal something new to you. I can’t wait to see what He does. I hope that you will share in the comments if you have one of these experiences.

If you have never known Jesus as your Savior, I want to say welcome. He is waiting for you with open arms. I would love for you to send me a private using the contact page and I can help you know what it means to accept Jesus into your life. I look forward to hearing from you.