WHEN JESUS WOKE UP
I continue to be amazed at the thought that Jesus, God Himself, came to earth and lived as a man. He was God, is God and always will be God, but while on earth He did not live as some superhero named “God-man” where He lived as God dressed up as a man. But He lived simply as a man, trusting His Father (not Himself) to be God in Him. This idea was made by Peter in his first sermon after Pentecost when he emphasized that Jesus lived as man whom God did all the miracles and wonders through.
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” – Acts 2:22
That means that Jesus experienced life just like you and me. I do not doubt that He got splinters while helping Joseph in the carpenter shop, He probably dropped some tools, stubbed His toes and countless other little things that you and I experience in this life simply because we are human.
It also means that Jesus experienced the difficult things in life that we face. And I take great comfort that one of the more difficult things I face everyday so did He – just getting out of bed in the morning. That’s right, getting out of bed can be one of the hardest things to do because you may feel tired, sore, and/or anxious about the day ahead of you. So how did Jesus face each and every morning?
I don’t think He awoke with this thought, “What can I do to please my Father? Maybe I can heal some people who have dealt with an illness for most of their life, give sight to the blind and then after lunch I can walk on some water. But I will make sure to wait an hour after I eat so I don’t cramp up while walking on the water. Then everyone will be impressed and God will be so happy with me.?”
This thought is based on the lie that I (in and of myself) need to do something that will please God. When we have these thoughts, even though our goal to please God is very noble, we end up trusting in our flesh, our own self effort to face the world. But remember, Jesus came to live as man was always intended to live, in complete dependence upon God living and expressing His life in and through man.
So what was Jesus’ thought process in the morning? I believe it was closer to something like this, “Good morning Father. Today is a special day because You and I are together and You have planned this day from before the foundations of the world. I am looking forward to whatever that plan is because I know it will mean I am experiencing life with You. Please show me what You would like to do this morning.” (see John 5:19, 30)
And do you know what happened then? He pleased His Father.
“When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” – John 8:28-29
He pleased His Father not because of WHAT He did, but because He TRUSTED in God to do those things in Him.
So when you wake up tomorrow morning, after you groan and creak a little depending on your age, remember that you are not alone. That Jesus is right now in You, capable of handling whatever the day holds. And He is excited because He gets to experience this day with you. This pleases Him.
In Christ who is our Life,
Ross