Where's Jesus?

So today during our sacrament meeting, my three year old (Corban) was sitting on my lap and we had a little kids board book about the stories in the Book of Mormon. The authors had used pictures of young kids to depict some of the characters and stories found in that Book. This post is not intended to be a critique on children's books, but merely to share a few comments on a question that Corban asked me. 

As we were going through the book we reached the story when Jesus appears to the peoples in the Americas and blesses their little children. The picture they use in the story was, of course, adorable, but there was a critical part missing. That critical part was pointed out when Corban said, "where's Jesus?"

His pointed question struck my heart with great force. A powerful question that brought many applications to mind in a very short period of time. 

It is a question to ponder for our lives in general...where's Jesus? Do we allow Him to play an active, central role in our lives? Is He just a figure on a few paintings around the house or the source for a few good quotes or "what would Jesus do" comments to our kids? Or is He the center of everything we are and hope to be, the healer of our souls and the guide in all of our daily decisions? I think my three year old just asked me a question that I hope to make a part of my daily walk and talk from now on... "Where's Jesus?" is now a question I hope to ask myself each day. I hope that I can see Him clearly each day, because I know from many personal experiences that He is there, ready and willing to be a part of my life if I but recognize Him and allow Him in. I encourage all of us to ask ourselves this inspired question from the mouth of babes (Joel 2:28, Alma 32:22-23) each and every day so that we make the Master a focus in our lives.

In addition to our lives in general, Corban's question also brought me to recognize that we need to ask ourselves this same question whenever we share our faith or whenever we teach our children or anyone...if people get done with a conversation with us and they were asking, "where's Jesus?" In our personal faith, maybe we need to take a look at ourselves and see where our faith is focused. Sometimes in all of our talk about miracles and family values and righteous living we neglect The Source in all of our discussions. Let's not forget who made it all possible and who created this beautiful earth for our enjoyment and blessing (DC 88:6-13, Mosiah 3:8, Hebrews 1:1-3). Let's not forget that He is the source of all good (Moroni 7:10-18). Let's not forget that He is the one who brings about eternal families and is The One who inspires the prophets to teach us the beautiful truths of HIS gospel. Let's not forget that He is the one who saved our souls and paid the eternal price for both our bodies and spirits with His pure and innocent blood (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 

I hope and pray that Corban's question will help me to be the kind of person that nobody will talk with me and have to ask of my walk and conversation, "where's Jesus?" The Lord Jesus Christ is my Master, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Healer, my Exemplar and my Eternal Friend. As a man with Down syndrome said in one of our church meetings just a few weeks ago, "the Savior is my best friend! You are all my best friends...but the Savior is my BEST friend!" He has changed my life through His grace, and I am confident that His grace is sufficient to help, lift and save all who are willing to turn to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, ready to let His grace transform them into something better than they could make of themselves through their own limited power. He is the living Son of the living God, and it is by His grace we are helped and lifted in our daily lives and struggles. Ultimately, it is by His grace that we are saved. 

My final thought is that oftentimes we are prone to ask, "where's Jesus?" During our most difficult moments. I believe that He is right there beside us.  He simply IS! I know that we never have to ask where Jesus is during our most difficult moments in this life, because He knows perfectly well what we are experiencing because of His great atoning sacrifice (Isaiah 53, Alma 7:11-13). I testify that He is always there in our most trying times. He runs to us to lift us up and comfort and strengthen us. There are times when it is difficult to see His hand, but I know it is there! He is truly the light and life of the world. To take from the words of the prophet Abinadi: "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death. (Mosiah 16:9)" He will one day wipe away all of our tears and all of the wrongs will be made right through His power and grace. I am so grateful for the peace that comes with this knowledge! He lives and loves us always!