Sometime back, a friend shared with me some of his burdens. One after another he talked about discouragements and failures that seemed to have gotten the best of him. I listened prayerfully, asking the Lord to help me understand what he was going through. I sensed the Lord asking me if I would represent the compassionate, caring, restoring person of Jesus in my words to this man.
After listening for a long time, I shared my heart and laid my hands on him and prayed. Right after he left my room, the words, “You be my Jesus,” came to my mind. I realized how we all need that physical touch of someone who will be the ministry of Jesus to us.
The following is the poem I wrote from that encounter:
The night is darker than the darkest nightnot a star in the sky.
Cruel storm howls in distance
creating piercing silence.
Non-stop downpour.
It seems this night is forever.
It seems this night is forever.
My lamp is empty
only left the smoking wick
hurting my eyes
hurting my eyes
forcing me to shut them in the dark.
Is there anyone who cares
to understand
to say a kind word
to lend a helping hand?
Yes, I know Jesus cares
Jesus understands.
Jesus understands.
But I don’t see Him
can’t touch Him
Where is He?
Where is He?
Till I find Him
Please stay with me
Please take my hand
Please stay with me
Please take my hand
It is so dark
YOU BE MY JESUS
I am all alone.
YOU BE MY JESUS
I am all alone.
Alone.
By: KP Yohannan
In the American western kind that poem would come across like we are being dependent on man rather than God. But we do need to be Jesus to one another–we need something tangible sometimes and physical. This is something I’m continually learning but it’s hard to “adjust my mindset.”
Great post.
Dr. this makes me think of a sermon series i helped preach at my church a a couple months ago… called “pour out…” a series of Giving, but since God has given us everything we have we really have nothing to offer Him that He does not already possess. I love this poem Because when we ” do unto the Least of these we do it unto Christ, and Because we Bear the image of God when we give we reflect the character of the Giver and we also in a way Give Him a face…we can be someones Jesus in a way until He or we can or someone else introduce Him to them.