You Are Mine

Do you have a favorite ‘Name’ for Jesus? There are so many, and they are all so intimate and beautiful. Lately I have been so comforted and drawn to Jesus as our Good Shepherd, as well as my Friend, Teacher and Healer.

Jesus is all of these to us and more, and yet He was also an earthly son to Mary and Joseph, growing and learning alongside His parents and His community. In His humanity, He must’ve had childhood friends and chores and skinned knees and tired days… I often wonder why we don’t have information in the bible about Jesus’ life after the finding in the temple.

These hidden years will be unknown to us until we meet Him in heaven, and they are an occasion for so much rich contemplation for our hearts. Could it be that we simply can’t comprehend it? That the stunning magnitude of His ordinary humanity as He “grew in wisdom and stature” contrasted with His unfathomable wisdom and power is more than our human minds can understand?

The Mystery of His Humanity

And yet, my friends, this humble boy from a small town grew to be everything to us. He is our hope and our greatest love. Though He can be surrounded by so much mystery, there is no circumstance in our lives when He is not for us, with us and loving us. We need to hold on to that truth when the enemy whispers lies to the contrary.

In my favorite chapter of the bible, John 17, Jesus prays to God his Father for all of us before He undertakes his passion.

“and now I will no longer be in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and none of them was lost.”
— John 17: 11-13

“Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”
— John 17: 24

These verses highlight the incredible magnitude of the love we are dealing with in Christ. This man is about to undergo unspeakable suffering, and some of His last moments before that are spent praying for us, begging His Father to watch over and protect us and share His merciful love with us.

So yes, we know who Jesus is. But at the same time, can we ever truly understand the scope and depth and breadth of who He is on this side of heaven??

His Strength in Humility

Jesus is modeling for us so much humility and wisdom in both his transcendent nature and His total submission to God. He did everything that Adam and Eve could not, and that we as fallen creatures find so hard to do as well.

He had full dominion over the world yet was completely obedient and submissive to God’s will. He baffled scholars of His time with His wisdom while maintaining a simplicity that drew children to Him.

And perhaps most astounding, He could calm the storm with a single word, perform healing miracles when all seems hopeless, feed 5000 people with a bit of bread and fish, and yet, He did not take Himself down from the cross. He knew that as powerful as He was, He must still follow His father’s plan.

His Invitation to Us

And so as His beloved daughters, what strength and peace we can draw from His example. Even though we may never exhaust our studying, seeking and yearning to know who He really is, He knows exactly who we are.

He knows what it is like to wrestle with all the things that tug at us and prevent us from living in true freedom and communion with God. He knows how much we struggle against sins control, disordered desires, emotions and pride.

I can perceive Jesus saying to us:

My daughter, I know. I know it’s hard. I walked that road of surrender and submission, just for you. And I showed you how to do it. Will you trust me? Will you lean further into our Father’s arms and let go? Because I will be there to catch you, and together we will rest near the Father’s heart. And there, He can whisper the truth that He longs to speak over you, the truth that will anchor your heart deep roots and allow your spirit to freely soar: Precious daughter, I love you, and you are Mine.