Jesus, Can I Have Some Time With You?

"To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Acts 1:3, NKJV

I need to spend more time with Jesus, how about you?

Ever wish you could just run away from the demands, the noise and the busyness that always seems to be swirling around you. I mean come on, our faith needs to be built on something more than attending church. We talk about having a relationship with Jesus, but have we allowed it to become a religion? Are we just going through the motions of Christianity or are we really having a vital, heart to heart, life-altering relationship with Jesus Christ?

On the church calendar we’re in what’s known as “Paschal Time,” which includes the 40-day period between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension to heaven. Ever wonder why the resurrected Jesus walked around the earth for 40 days after He was raised from the dead?

I’d like to believe it was so that all of us would learn not to look back at who He was, but be continually reminded of who He is. According to Hebrews, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV) That’s the Jesus I want to know; not the historical Jesus, but the Jesus that’s alive today, the now Jesus – the today Jesus! I want my heart to burn within me like those guys He came across on the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32. After He was raised from the dead, Jesus joined up with a couple of guys as they were talking about Him, only they didn’t recognize Him. You see they were talking about the Jesus who was…He was a prophet, He was a teacher, He was…only Jesus is a whole lot more than someone who was, He is! He IS a prophet, He IS a teacher, He IS our redeemer and He IS alive.

Later that same day, Jesus opened up the Scriptures and began to explain to these guys who He is, and that the plan has always been for God and man to have their relationship restored. Now here’s the cool part:

“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him and He vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31, NKJV)

That must have totally blown their minds. Can you imagine just sitting there and then realizing that Jesus, who you thought was dead, is sitting across the table from you and wham – He disappears? But I love their response:

“And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:32, NKJV)

When was the last time our hearts burned within us as we worshipped, as we prayed, and as we spent time in the Word? If it’s been awhile, it’s safe to say that it’s not God’s fault. Maybe we just haven’t taken the time we should to really focus on the reality of our relationship with the Jesus who IS. He IS real, He IS alive, and He IS here for us. Let’s take a walk with Jesus this weekend and spend some time with Him.

I know He’d like that.