Knowing Jesus

I grew up in a religious home. We went to church every week, and I attended Christian school for years. By outward appearances, I was a Christian. Faith was part of my life, but God still seemed distant.

After high school, I began wondering whether life was only about doing what was expected—school, work, marriage, a home, and eventually retirement. I felt an emptiness I could not explain.

In the summer of 1973, my sisters, Debbie and Patty, began talking with me about life, heaven, and eternity. I thought they were going through a phase.

Then I became very sick.

They cared for me, stayed close, and loved me without trying to pressure me. I saw a peace in them that I did not have. Their lives made me wonder whether God could be known as personally as they seemed to know Him.

Near the end of that summer, I gave my life to Jesus.

I did not suddenly understand everything, and all my problems did not disappear. But God was no longer distant. I began to know that He loved me, had forgiven me, and wanted me to walk through life with Him.

That was the beginning of a relationship that has continued to shape every part of my life.

Jesus once told a story about a son who left home, wasted what his father had given him, and finally came back with nothing.

The son expected rejection. At best, he hoped his father might allow him to return as a hired worker.

Instead, while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. The father ran to him, embraced him, and welcomed him home.

The son rehearsed a speech. The father prepared a celebration.

That story has helped me understand the heart of God.

God is not standing at a distance, waiting for you to make yourself acceptable. He is not reluctant to forgive you. He is a good Father who wants you to know Him.

Our choices still matter. Sin is real. It damages us, hurts other people, and leads us away from the God who loves us.

Every one of us has gone our own way. But our failure is not the end of the story.

God loves us too much to leave us far from Him. He came looking for us.

If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.

Jesus welcomed people others avoided. He touched those considered untouchable. He ate with people whose lives were broken. He spoke the truth, forgave sinners, welcomed children, and treated people with compassion and dignity.

Jesus did not merely tell us that God loves us. He showed us.

He also came to do something we could not do for ourselves.

We have all turned away from God, and we cannot repair that separation simply by trying harder or becoming more religious. I already had religion. What I needed was life.

Jesus took our sin upon Himself and died on the cross in our place. Three days later, He rose from the dead. Sin and death did not have the final word.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NIV

Forgiveness is not something we earn. It is a gift God offers us through Jesus.

He does not ask us to clean ourselves up before coming to Him. We come honestly, just as we are, and place our trust in what Jesus has done.

For many years, I believed the right things about God. But knowing facts about someone is not the same as knowing that person.

Christian faith is not simply agreeing with a creed, following a moral code, attending church, or trying to become a better person.

None of those things can give us life.

Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him. He offers forgiveness for our past, His presence with us now, and hope for what is still ahead.

Being loved by God does not leave us unchanged. We keep growing and learning to follow Him, but we are no longer trying to earn His love. We obey because we love Him, not so that we might finally become lovable.

That is grace.

You may wonder whether God would really receive you.

He will.

You may think you have gone too far, waited too long, failed too many times, or have too many questions.

You have not disqualified yourself from His love.

Jesus is inviting you to turn toward Him and trust Him. The Bible calls this repentance and faith.

Repentance means turning from going your own way and turning toward God. Faith means placing your trust in Jesus and what He has done for you.

You do not need perfect words. God is not grading your prayer. You can speak honestly to Him right now.

If it would help, the following prayer is one way to put into words what may already be happening in your heart.

Coming to Jesus is the start of a lifelong relationship.

God forgives you and welcomes you into His family. His acceptance is not something you have to earn.

He gives you His Holy Spirit, who changes you from within. Growth takes time. You will still have questions, struggles, and places where you need help. God will be patient with you as you learn.

We receive Jesus by faith, and we continue to trust Him in the same way. We do not receive grace and then spend the rest of our lives trying to prove that we deserve it.

God is also leading history toward a day when sin, suffering, and death will finally be gone. The work He is doing in us now will one day be complete.

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

From Philippians 1:6 NIV

You do not have to understand everything before you begin.

I certainly did not.

Knowing Jesus has been the great gift of my life. More than fifty years later, I am still learning to trust Him and discovering how good He is.

I do not simply want you to agree with something I have written.

I want you to know Him for yourself.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.