As Christians we like singing songs like Open the Eyes of my heart that have lyrics like ‘I want to see Jesus’ or other songs with words like ‘turn your eyes upon Jesus’ or ‘Walk with Jesus’ or ‘I want to see Jesus face to face’ or ‘surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.’ Let’s face it while we may sing the words, like so many other words we sing, we may not always get what we declare.
I want to see Jesus, but I never have. I think I have experienced His presence, but I am not sure and I certainly don’t feel that way all the time. And I must confess that trying to find Christ present in some events and moments in your life can leave you just plain empty.
So when a pop up appeared on my computer this past week that said, ‘CLICK HERE to see Jesus’ I moved the mouse and clicked! Instantly, one of those weird inkblot type pictures appeared on my computer screen with instructions to stare at the blot for 30 seconds and then look at a blank wall. I did see the image of a man’s face. Was it Jesus? I don’t know. It also bore a strange resemblance to Charles Manson. After the image faded away, I turned my attention back to the computer screen. At the bottom of the screen were some additional instructions:
If you want to be reminded that Jesus is with you wherever you go, print this illusion and carry it with you in your pocket or your purse. When trouble comes, simply pull it out, stare at it for a few seconds, and you will see him all around you!
Now scoff all you want, but finding religious imagery in everyday objects isn’t that difficult. Just ask Harry Choron, the co-author, with his wife Mary, of the book “Look! It’s Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life” (Chronicle Books). Choron says that while researching this picture-driven book, he heard about a man who bit into a Kit Kat candy bar and discovered that the cross section of his bite was the perfect silhouette of Jesus. The author — who was on the Atkins diet at the time — decided to try to recreate the event, and bought four boxes of Kit Kats to bite into. After 300 bites, Choron gave up. “None of them even came close to looking like a deity,” he said. “It truly was a miracle the first time around.”
Choron’s book is a pictorial catalogue of everyday objects with perceived religious imagery ingrained on the surface. Visions include sightings on natural objects (”Oyster Shell Jesus”) to food (the lengendary Cheeto Jesus, or “Cheesus” ) to the just plain bizarre (“Couch Stain Jesus”). “I took everyone very seriously, because all the contributors took it seriously,” he said. “People are really looking for miracles these days, and if it helps them to find a miracle in a pretzel or a cinnamon bun, than it’s significant. Who am I to say it’s not a miracle?”While this may all seem a bit ridiculous, the reality is that we all are seeking ways to find the presence of Christ in our lives. None of us want to reach the point of feeling that the Lord is out of touch or out of reach. None of us desire to experience what David declared in the Psalms:
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? You seem far from saving me, You seem so far away from my groans. My God, I call to you during the day, but you do not answer . . . My strength has dried up like a clay pot, and my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust of death.
Can you relate? Have you been crying out to God, but getting no answers? Have you prayed yourself hoarse while in the midst of a crisis, but nothing happened? Have things gotten worse since you started praying, leaving you to look up at heaven and plead. “My God, My God! Why have you abandoned me!” If you reached that point and someone offered you a Jesus inkblot or a Jesus Cheeto, you would probably grab at it feeling you had nothing to lose. The good news (and possibly bad news) is that I am not here to offer you an inkblot, nor a Cheeto. Instead, I am here to offer you a story - a story from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 14.
This is probably a familiar story. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two small fish and turned them into a feast for more than 5,000 hungry people. That’s a good thing. What could be wrong with that? The problem was that the people became so awestruck that they immediately started a campaign to make Jesus King (John 6:15). This was not the plan. So, Jesus hurriedly puts His disciples into a boat and sends them to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus then dispersed the crowd and then found a quiet retreat.
At some time during the night, the weather started getting rough on the Sea of Galilee. The sea while small – 7 miles wide by 15 miles long – can produce violent storms with large waves. The Bible says the disciples set sail before nightfall and that they were still fighting the storm at 3:00 in the morning. Can you imagine the fatigue and cramps that must have been setting in? As experienced as they were as sailors, they were about to be done in and they knew it. Imagine all that was happening:
Callous are ripped open fighting the oars. Sea Spray gets in the open wounds. You are bailing as fast as you can! Waves are crashing over and hitting you like a 2x4. Raindrops are beating you like pins and needles. They must have thought: “Where is Jesus? If He were here this wouldn’t be happening? Why isn’t He here!? I want to see Jesus!”
Then on the water there comes what looks like a ghost. They had all heard the stories of the evil spirits that roamed the waters of this sea - pulling boats and their crews to the depths. This would have been one of the scariest moments the disciples had ever encountered. When studying this passage of scripture most people jump ahead in the story at this point, which tells about Peter walking on the water. We are fascinated by the idea. In fact, the saying “You can’t walk on the water if you don’t get out of the boat” has become a cliché in our culture. But any person who has felt abandoned by God needs to stop and hear the words spoken by Jesus in verse 27, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid”
These words Jesus spoke in the midst of that terrible storm are some of the most important words to come out of His mouth. They are both a comfort and a challenge. Picture an airplane, loaded with passengers, flying through a storm. Severe turbulence is bouncing everyone. Children are crying, adults are repenting, and those little air sickness bags are now in short supply. Suddenly, a flight attendant steps into the aisle holding her microphone, smiling she says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid” Are you buying it?
Or imagine that your loved one is undergoing life threatening surgery. The doctors have told you it is 50-50. The surgery was to be 4 hours, but it is now well over 5. Fear is beginning to press in on all sides. But then, Uncle Jim-Bob, an auto mechanic for Alabama, walks into the waiting room, smiles and says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid” Is your fear gone?
Now imagine being on a small boat about sink … It’s different when Jesus says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid.” These words are only comforting when spoken by the right person. Jesus speaks them with authority because He can control the storms and He can control the enemies that attack. Remember also that Jesus doesn’t say. “Try not to be afraid.” Jesus gives us a command knowing full well that our tendency in the face of the unknown is fear. Jesus challenges us to something that goes against our nature.
God is always trying to teach us something about our human nature and about His Godly nature. Sometimes we need to experience fear, loneliness, and emptiness in to order to fully understand. You can read that God is our fortress (Psalm 18:2). You can read that God is my hiding place (Psalm 32:7) - My portion (Psalm 199:57) - God is our Father (Psalm 89:26) and our deliverer (Psalm 70:5) and I could go on and on. Now I understand, words are one thing – you still want (or need) the experience of God’s presence. It is one thing to be told that something is true. It is another to experience the truth. God’s word tells us who HE is, but it is through the events and circumstances of our lives that God shows us who HE is.
Here is our other challenge in the face of crisis: I’ve come to understand that Jesus doesn’t calm the storms in our lives nearly as fast as I would like. Remember it would have been easy for Jesus to just fix the problem. He had done that before one time while with the disciples in the boat. I believe Jesus wanted the disciples to see more than what He could do to a storm. Jesus wanted them to see what He could do in a storm. In those moments of desperation, when God’s presence seems to be lacking, we need to remember the words of Christ spoken to us, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid”
Getting caught up in a storm and feeling abandoned does not mean you are abandoned. God is right there patiently waiting for you to discover His presence. Don’t miss God’s presence. The disciples nearly missed Jesus – thinking He was a ghost. We too miss God’s presence in our life. Too often we think God is only in the big things. We are always looking for the clouds to part and God to speak, but that is not God’s nature. Remember … “be still, and Know that I am” … Remember Elijah wanting to see God only to discover His presence in a gentle whisper.
I invite you to come back next week. You might being feeling frustrated. You might feel alone. You may feel abandoned. You might have some fears. I can promise you this; the people who are here - the people that have experienced the love of Christ will be here as well - the people you have come to know, to love, to call friends, they will be here to become the presence of Christ in your life and if you listen real careful you will hear a gentle whisper saying “I am here, Don’t be afraid” and in that moment …
Your life will be changed. Your fears will be calmed. Your hope restored.
And your faith will be refilled.
While waiting for the presence of Christ in your life, try being the presence of Christ in another's.
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