As a teenager, I remember feeling lonely, fearful, and insecure.  A normal adolescent experience?  Probably.  Then hearing that Jesus loves me and wants to be the biggest part of my life grabs my attention to that radio program I’m listening to on a Sunday evening many years ago.  God interested in me?  Jesus loves even me?  Does that make sense?

I always wondered about spiritual things.  Like who God is.  And Jesus.  Used to try to go to sleep imagining how long eternity would last.  Forever and ever, then more and more, and even some extra, making it hard to nod off.  Having polio at age 2, being isolated in a hospital far from family and home, no doubt leaves me feeling like I’m skating on very thin ice most of the time.  You think?  Makes sense to me.

But then I met Jesus.  Actually, He takes the first step, offering me a new life.  All His love and lots more.  How could I ever turn Him down?  Couldn’t and didn’t.

Okay, not everything changes overnight.  Actually, I’ve no idea what all this Jesus stuff means.  Had to take it a day at a time.  Sometimes half a day.  Slowly but surely, I wise up to the fact that Jesus is in my life.  And, best of all, He’s here to stay.

Reading my Bible daily knocks some sense into me.  As time marches on, I sense His presence more and more.  Those fears and insecurities?  Less and less.

In Jesus, sense intensifies.  Quickens.  Deepens.  Heightens.  To begin with, we receive eternal life–‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life–the life was made manifest and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life… (1 John 1: 1-2).  Hear…see…touch.  Senses alive.

How long is forever?  Don’t obsess over it, Fischer!  Know that life gets better; so that at the end, which is really just the beginning, it becomes the very best.  Get the picture?

At some point, a light goes on that this earthly life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.  There’s more going on.  You can sense it.  Even see it clearer.  Less pea-soup fog and smog than before we believe in Jesus.

The Apostle John says this–‘…which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon…’ (1 John 1: 1).  No made-up stories.  No Brother John’s bogus snake oil.  No figment of someone’s imagination.  No fairy tales or myths.  They saw, heard, and touched Jesus.  This is the real stuff.

Here’s another godsend–fellowship.  That sense of belonging.  1 John 1: 3–‘…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.’  Loneliness loses traction as believers get closer to each other and to God the Father and His Son Jesus.  Guess what?  We’re never godforsaken.

But with unbelievers, as precious as their love and friendship can be, something’s missing.  You can sense it.  There’s a strangeness, a disconnect from what’s most important in our lives.  What’s that?  We know.  Not a what, but a who.  Jesus.

In Him, life comes alive.  You’ll sense that.

Thank you, Jesus, for being our all-in-all always.  Amen.