Two Questions To Deepen Your Relationship With Jesus
“Ecclesiastes 3:1 + Luke 9:20a”
Today, I’m playing with words to pass along an exercise I do from time to time as a way to assess how my spiritual life is going.
I invite you to do it with me.
As hinted, I’m combining the two verses mentioned earlier as the setup for the exercise.
- “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens. ~Eccl. 3:1
- Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Lk 9:20a
In the first reading, King Solomon is making the observation that everything in life has its time and place. In the Gospel, Jesus is wondering what conclusions the apostles have made about His identity.
Here’s the exercise. Take a moment to answer this question, who do you say Jesus is to you in your life, right now?
No one is going to check your answer and you don’t have to share it with anyone. Set aside the high school exam perfect answers and genuinely respond. You can be as detailed as you like.
It’s my experience that the first few seconds of answering I regurgitate the common “should” answers. Once I run out of the textbook answers, I go blank, and then answer from my heart.
Here’s my answer, at this moment: Currently, Jesus is someone I want to know as a friend. A friend I can share my deepest fears, hopes, and dreams. I feel like Jesus is someone I know of and have met but I don’t fully know. Jesus is more a concept I believe than a living person in my life. I trust that He is there but I don’t “KNOW” He’s there.
Once you are done with this answer, it’s time for a twist…
Here’s the second part of the exercise. Take a deep breath to settle the mind then direct this question to the Son of Man, “Jesus, who do you want to be for me at this point in my life?”
I often ask Jesus for help, guidance, peace, and transformation. I frequently talk but I rarely just sit and listen. This question prompts me to assume a posture of humility and surrender to the Holy Spirit. It’s my way of inviting Jesus to speak to my heart and enter my life. As I type, it occurs to me that I need to do this with Mother Mary and my guardian angel, too.
Here’s my answer, right now: I want to be your everything. I want you to give me your burdens. I want to be your place of rest. I want to be your safe space. I want to be your friend. No gimmicks, no buts, no loose ends.
As I typed the last answer, I doubted and questioned it. I even typed some things and deleted them. But, ultimately, as I read the final answer, I felt it in my soul.
Evidently, I can’t prove to you that it wasn’t my subconscious brain coming up with what I wanted to read/hear. I just know it’s valid and now, the choice is mine as to whether I let Him or not.
Feel free to ask me later this year how it went. And, if the spirit moves you, feel free to share with me what you discovered.
In peace,
~Juan
