Taking the First Step
by Linda Rex
Nothing can be more maddening than to find out that the business you trusted to take care of your car has taken advantage of you instead. I recall that sinking feel well and really don’t wish to repeat the experience.
I picked the company because I had been informed that they were good at what they did. Well, that was a true statement, but I’m not sure that what they were good at was fixing cars. I think that maybe what they were good at was something else entirely.
The unfortunate thing about such experiences is that they cause a person to question the motives and values of everyone they encounter. They destroy a person’s faith in others and in their good will. We find that we cannot take anyone at their word. We begin not to trust anyone.
It is hard to trust someone who you do not know. Until you have spent enough time with them to really get to know them well, you have no way of knowing whether they are a person of integrity or are just real good at putting on a façade. Sometimes building a relationship with someone requires us to take a step of faith.
If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and you’re not sure whether he is even real, it is extremely difficult to even want to get to know him. What is the point? How can you trust someone when you know nothing about him? Why should you even try?
Perhaps some people associated with the name of Jesus Christ have been hurtful and insensitive to you. Maybe they seem to only be critical and condemning, or perhaps they are just really good at being hypocritical. Perhaps the only followers of Jesus that you know are people you’d rather not have anything to do with. I’m sorry if that is the case. Like the people at the repair shop who ruined my opinion of all auto mechanics, they give all Christians a bad name by their conduct.
I invite you to look beyond your negative experiences to see Jesus Christ himself. Might I encourage you to get to know him yourself by reading about him in the Bible? You might start in the Gospel of John. And if that is too much of a stretch, how about just talking to him? “Jesus, if you are real, show yourself to me. I want to get to know you.” Take the beginning steps of relationship with him—he will meet you there.
Jesus isn’t just a myth or a story in a book. He isn’t just a religion or a wise teacher. He is a real person who is alive today and is seeking a real relationship with you and each person on this planet. Nobody is unworthy to come to him—his arms are open to all of us. He invites us to trust him and to take that first step. It may take some effort, some courage and even some perseverance, but it will be worth every effort.
Lord Jesus, open our eyes, our mind and heart, to see you and to know you today. Show us that you are real, you are alive, and are expectantly awaiting the opportunity to spend time with us and to share life with us. Take away our fears and doubts and grant us the courage and faith to reach out to you. In your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
“Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, ‘Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.’” Luke 7:6-7
Our Life in the Trinity 