Jesus Finds Us

This morning, I ran across two verses in the Book of John about how Jesus finds two people whose lives He’s touched and speaks to them again. I think this demonstrates His heart. He intentionally created an encounter with these people.

The first was a case where He healed a man whose sin had brought sickness on him.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him,
Behold, you are made whole.
Sin no more lest a worse thing come to you. (John 5:14)

He wanted to protect him—to impart wisdom and give him hope for a new life on the heels of his healing. Out of love, I believe, He reached back into the man’s life and gave him direction.

The second was a case where Jesus healed a man born blind and the religious leaders, in their hatred of Jesus (because He represented change and challenged their powerful stronghold on the people), cast out the man who was healed for speaking the truth.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and finding him,
He said to him, Do you believe on the Son of God? (John 9:35)

The second case is one where Jesus found the outcast and ministered life to him by revealing Truth to him at a greater level (that Jesus is the Messiah). Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong? Jesus wants to meet you in that place and minister to your heart. He is close to the broken-hearted.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted;
and saves those who are of a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

The other thing that strikes me about these men is they must have been in His vicinity. In His ministry on earth, Jesus was limited in where He could physically be at one time or how far he could travel in a day or week. So, these recently healed men must have been nearby. How that translates to us today is: by opening our hearts to God, by turning toward Him, we put ourselves in His vicinity. I’m not saying He won’t track people down who are “far away,” but it can’t hurt to make yourself “findable.”

Let Jesus find you today, in whatever circumstances or state of mind you’re in. And listen. Open the Bible and ask for understanding. Turn to Him and let Him minister life and truth to you.

Next time I’ll discuss going after God. We don’t have to be passive. We can search for Him and find Him ourselves.