I Just Met Jesus!

John 1:35-39
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

Dear Jesus,

I remember my first encounter with You.  I was four years old.  Kneeling at my mother's knee, I asked You to come into my heart.  You set a trajectory of faith and hope in my heart and mind.  Thank You for that first encounter that has led to a rich and life-long relationship.  I love You.

I met Ed when I was a college student.  He was the Sunday School superintendent at the church I attended.  I remember Ed's story of encountering You for the first time.  He was driving a delivery truck.  Convicted by Your Holy Spirit, Ed had to pull the truck off the road.  Blinded by tears, Ed repented of his sins and asked You into his heart.  He met You, and Ed was never the same because of it.

David was my pastor.  He had run from You for 10 years.  At age 29, David heard You call him yet again.  This time, he ran toward You in repentance.  David's transformation rippled through his entire family.  His family had been known for many years as drunkards and sinners.  Thirty years later, no fewer than 5 of David's family are preaching Your Gospel.  David met You, and he never was the same because of it.

Mark and I were in Bible College together.  Before Mark met You, he was a druggie. Life was meaningless and empty.  He lived from one high to the next.  No future.  I met Mark in West Virginia in 1980.  He had just met You.  Two months later, Mark and I were Bible College classmates.  Mark went deep with You.  Today, Mark is a husband, father, and grandfather.  He loves You and lives for You. Life has been fulfilling because Mark met You.

I thank You for Your children who are a rich part of my life.  I thank You for fellow believers who have genuinely encountered You, the Living Christ, and will never be the same because of it.

"When a man really meets Christ he will no more forget that day and hour than he will forget the day of his birth.  It marks the dividing line between the time when he did not know and the time when he came to know Jesus Christ" (In William Barclay's The Gospel of John, vol. 1, 1955, p. 71).

In the Name of Jesus, whom I have had the joy of meeting, knowing, and will someday know more fully,

Amen.

I've Just Seen Jesus

I've just seen Jesus, I tell you He's alive

I've just seen Jesus, our precious Lord alive

And I knew He really saw me too

As if till now I'd never lived

All that I'd done before won't matter anymore

I've just seen Jesus, I've just seen Jesus

I've just seen Jesus

(William Gaither)