Reminders: Is Jesus with Us Literally or Figuratively?

A little boy was afraid of the dark. His mother asked him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom. The little boy turned to his mother and said, “Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark!”  The mother smiled and said, “You don't have to be afraid of the dark. Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you.”  The little boy looked at his mother and asked, “Are you sure he's out there?”  “Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and He is always ready to help you when you need him,” she said. The little boy thought for a minute, and then went to the back door and cracked it open a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, “Jesus? If you are out there, would you please hand me the broom?”

We chuckle, but what do we mean when we say, “Jesus is always with you?”  Adults sometimes make it more difficult for children to learn to distinguish between fantasy and reality. We tell them Santa sees if they are naughty or nice, then leave it to them to figure out that Santa can’t possibly deliver presents to every child on Christmas Eve. Children love to pretend. Do they think we are asking them to pretend that Jesus is with them, guiding and protecting them? If not, why wouldn’t they be skeptical, just as they are about Santa Clause.

Pastor Jeff Wells explains it this way: “Jesus is with us––God is with us––literally in every moment of our lives. In fact, God is in every electron and atom. We humans have the ability to experience God’s presence. When we experience Jesus deeply, as the basis of our being, our lives can become like music improvised by a jazz combo.

Jazz is largely about improvisation. The musicians always have some structure and a sense of where they are headed with the music, but they are also free to be creative and playful as they go.  In this scenario, think of God as the lead player. God is the one who shapes the music, we are to be in concert with Him.”