What If You Could Text Jesus?

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,
  But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night.
I go to Him in prayer, He knows my every care,
  And just a little talk with my Jesus makes it right.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus
By: Cleavant Derricks (1909-1977)

Listen as you read.  This is an updated version of this old hymn.

On Tuesday we continued our walking and talking journey with Jesus by remembering how He is our friend always watching over us.  And that is a good thing because we face many challenges and difficulties.  We can take it all to Him though; but we often fail to do so.  Why do you think that is? Let’s think about this.

Go to Him

We have access through our faith in Christ to the throne of mercy.  Any time we want to we can lift our gaze from the darkness of this weary world and find that light from heaven which is ever-ready to flood our souls.  Unfortunately, we just fail to look up.  Ever wonder why?

I think there are a number of reasons.  I wonder which of these you may have used, maybe even as recently as today.  Here are a few, with some thoughts.

• “I don’t want bother Him with this.” As if anything is too small.
• “He may not answer.”  He always answers, just rarely when or how we wish He would.
• “I can probably handle this.”  Maybe, but it would be better to trust God and watch for His provision.
• “I am not sure what to say.”  Just talk to Him and listen to what He is saying to you.  Don’t complicate this.
• “_____ _____ _____ ___ _____.”  Are you mindful of your most common reason for failing to pray?
• “I am not really convinced He cares.”  Of course He does, that is why He tells us to bring everything to Him.

This last one may be the real reason most of us pray less than we could.  Not sure you have been commanded to bring everything to Jesus in prayer?  Consider this Scripture.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.   Philippians 4:6 ESV

Plain and simple.  What should we bring?  Everything.  How?  Prayer.  To whom? God.

He Knows My Every Care

Does He really?

Did you notice that last phrase of the verse?  “Let your requests be made known to God.” (emphasis mine)  What do you think that means?

Most English translations use some version of that wording implying, it seems, that God does not know your requests.  That is not what the verse means.  Rather, it is another command, this one having to do with the practice of simply presenting these requests to God.

Think of it this way.

Often parents are able to anticipate their children’s needs.  Why?  Because we love them and we know what is best for them.  Sometimes they ask for those things. Sometimes they ask for other things.  As parents, sometimes we want to hear their heart expressed.  We occasionally even have the answer behind our back in our hand, but we just want to hear and see that longing expressed in making the request known.

In many ways that is also true of God, only His expression of it is perfect!  I wonder what He has behind His back for you, waiting for you to ask.  Some relief?  Some blessing?

Against that backdrop, it truly is a mystery why we do not take more things to Jesus more often.  Child are not afraid to ask.  Somehow that is a behavior we have learned.  How unfortunate.

Just a Little Talk

It is unfortunate because of the impact on us and our situations when we have a little talk with Jesus.  When you think of that, what kind of communication comes to mind?  A text.  A call.  A face-to-face.  Each have their place and accomplish certain things.

Texting is truly best for communicating simple bits of information.  It obviously lacks the emotional component, which no emoji can make up for.  When you need an answer to a complex question, this is probably not the best choice. It does however accomplish what it was designed to do.

You:  Are you coming to the prayer meeting tonight?

Jesus:  Yes, I will be there. 😉

Calling allows you to pick up on the emotion of the other communicant and exchange more commentary than the bare facts.  Still you can not see the person, unless you are FaceTiming them.  Yes, I believe that is actually a word now.  Even then there are other cues that are harder to pick up on unless you are in person.

A face-to-face encounter is the best because you can read the person’s body language in conjunction with what they are saying.  If there are inconsistencies they are easier to identify.  There is much more connection when you can look someone in the eye, for it is like looking into their soul.

 

I use this imagery to help you think about your interactions with Jesus.  Which of these three characterizes your communication with Him?  Is it more bits and pieces, but impersonal?  Does it have some genuine interaction going back and forth?  Or is it deep and intimate?

Wherever it is in that continuum you can change it.  How?

Have a little talk with Jesus.  Have several.  And keep having them.  They will make all the difference!

Practical Thinking!

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Subscribers enjoy this podcast and the transcript below!

Podcast 8.2 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,

Psalm 42:3 ESV

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Here is a stark and honest description of the weight our souls feel at times, pain within, unbelief without.  This is likely not your constant condition, but like the Psalmist and our song writer we all have seasons when we feel this way.  Thank God that He and His word acknowledge that.

  But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night.

Psalm 121:4 ESV

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Take comfort in the fact that though you may cry yourself to sleep in the midst of your torment on the nights you can even get to sleep, the Lord never slumbers, so vigilant is He in His care for you.  Indeed, Jesus watches over you day and night.

I go to Him in prayer, He knows my every care,

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

We have been commanded to bring all of our cares to Him, yet at times we fail to do so, choosing instead to try to work things out ourselves.  How foolish, not to mention disobedient? Jesus cares for you and wants you to talk to Him about everything. What do you need to talk with Him about today?  

  And just a little talk with my Jesus makes it right.

Philippians 4:6 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Anxiety appears again in this verse which adds a command to not be anxious to the one to pray.  We needlessly carry anxiety. Jesus gladly takes it. Keep nothing back. Give Jesus all your cares and leave yourself with nothing to be anxious about today.  Go ahead, do it right now.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,
  But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night.
I go to Him in prayer, He knows my every care,
  And just a little talk with my Jesus makes it right.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.