What keeps you coming back to Jesus?

This is a question I have been asking a number of my friends in small groups and just hanging out. I have received a variety of answers. One of my friends said, “Jesus keeps dragging my butt back to Jesus.” And this is true at the core. Jesus brings us back to Jesus. Obviously, the fact that He is God is something that keeps us coming back; but I think each of us has an even more personal answer.

In normal friendships there are specific things that make us friends. It can be a whole slew of different characteristics: acceptance, steadfastness, kindness, playfulness, tenderness, strength, laughter, joy, simplicity. It could be the way a friend listens to you or draws you out with probing questions. Maybe your friend lets you win in ping-pong or shares your interest for desert storm trading cards ☺. Whatever it is, we are drawn to people for a reason, and I think it is no different with the King of the Cosmos—there is an attractiveness to Him like no other and there are reasons that we keep coming back to Him.

What is it for you? What about the God-Person of Jesus Christ keeps you coming back to Him again and again? For me, it’s that he knows me, he loves me, he is trustworthy, and he makes me laugh.

I will describe the first two together: he knows me and he loves me. A couple of months ago I was spending time journaling my heart movings to the Lord in a little place called Panera Bread. I was wrestling with the Lord on whether I should continue to bring him the longings, hopes, and dreams I have, that seem to be broken again and again.

I know I’m not entitled to receive anything, so I wondered what he wanted from me. I was also re-reading entries from earlier this year. One entry was titled: "People I need to love by faith"—and one of the people on the list was myself, with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 next to it. So I opened up my Bible and read from this address with the lens of God looking at me.

As I read, God reminded me of his great incomprehensible knowing of me. He KNOWS me—ALL of me. He formed the aspirations, dreams, desires, and yearnings of my soul. And he is hoping right alongside of me for them to come to fruition. It says in verse 7, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

As I read these words it reminded me of God’s hoping of things for me. His delight in seeing me receive his blessings. His joy when I receive them and his care for me and endurance with me as they do not come to fruition. He bears, believes, hopes, endures all things. He knows me and he loves me, and this causes me to trust him more.

Next, he is trustworthy. Need I say more? His track record is inscrutable. He never fails, leaves, or forsakes me. He ALWAYS comes through. He is faithful and trustworthy and selfless and kind and good—and his faithfulness means I am safe and secure no matter what. This makes me want to come to him more.

And lastly, he makes me laugh. He does. He brings a jab of humor, sometimes with a hint of sarcasm, and other times I trip over my own foot on a perfectly paved street and he is laughing with me. Sometimes he reminds me of an old memory, his presence with me in it and how hilarious it was. He is the funniest person in the universe and can bring a smile to my face like no other. He warms my heart with laughter.

These four things (and I am sure many others) are what keep me coming back to him again and again. He is indeed the giver of all good things and there is none like him. And in the end, if asked, I think we would respond in like fashion with Peter as accounted by John in chapter 6, verses 66-70.

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

It is in the Holy One of God that we have trusted, the only one who has the words of eternal life. He is so attractive.

Bringing the attractiveness of Jesus into the chaos with you.

Bringing Jesus into the Chaos

During our commissioning at our STINT Briefing in August where we were preparing for our year in Mexico City, God broke my heart more for the people here. There has been a lot of chaos and mayhem down here because of the recent presidential elections, which were very close in votes. The loser has been rallying people to protest and different parts of the city have shut down. So I was starting to worry about all the chaos we were going to be walking into—wd. the girls be safe, is it wise for us to be there, and other concerns. I was worried about walking into the chaos of it all—and I heard Jesus say to me—“I want you to bring Me into that chaos.” God was showing me this was a great opportunity for His glory to shine in the midst of great chaos. This is an opportunity to bring hope and light, love and forgiveness, to people who so desperately need it. I sensed God inviting me to trust him with my life & the lives of my team, and walk into a dark situation, bringing them the light and hope found only in Jesus Christ!

A couple nights ago I shared this with the team and Skye told me that Jesus had shared the same thing with her on the metro on their way over to meet us. She was thinking about the chaos of things and heard God say to her…”Invite me into this chaos.” I told her it’s so neat how God is speaking similar things to his people—she stopped me and said—“The exact same things.” She was right. God is speaking the exact same things into his people and is inviting us to trust him and believe him to bring HIM into the chaos. We are inviting him to bring about a spiritual revival among the people of Mexico. Would you please join us in asking God to bring it about. Trae lo Jesus! Trae lo!