This morning, there was a segment on the news about how they want to DNA test a few strands of cotton from a pillow that Abraham Lincoln way laying on when he died to see if he had a rare form of cancer. The argument is that more factual data about a president can’t be bad, but some say it is the ultimate invasion of privacy. We have tons of history books filled with data about president Lincoln, and we have tons of people who consider themselves experts on the man and try to teach us about him. I would venture a guess that very few people in America don’t know who Abraham Lincoln was based on the known facts and assumptions.
Of course, I would also say that most people have a basic understanding of Jesus. Christians may argue that many people don’t know the true “facts”, but most of us know the basics. I wonder, though, how many actually know the man, Jesus? How many of us, especially inside the Church, focus so much on the history and the “facts” of the man, but never take the time to really know HIM? Do we really take the time to know His heart?
It's kind of like telling you about my son. I can give you all the data about his age, height, weight, and IQ (probably off the charts!!!), and I can even tell you stories of his injuries, triumphs, and adventures. I can show you pictures of all the things he's done, but the truth is, until you decide to take a few minutes and play with him yourself, you're never really going to know him as a friend. I think I want to take time and "play" with Jesus.
How much would one of those historians give to be able to have a real-life conversation with Honest Abe? What are you willing to do to really know the person of Jesus? I don’t want to just understand Jesus any more, I want to experience Him, and I want to be around people who want that, too. Can we quit seeing Him as a goal and just be His friend? Are we able to stop thinking about Him and just take time to play with Him?
