Is Jesus Enough?

It was at Starbucks, and we were sitting with new friends Rod & Marjie Barnett, whose daughter had become a beloved part of our family while staying with us during her internship here in Phoenix.   Rod shared how he had been in the hospital with stage 4 cancer and was in crushing pain when the curtain opened to reveal a pastor.   The pastor related how he had been driving by when prompted by God to go pray for a man in this room. It was just a prompting of the Holy Spirit that led him to Rod’s bedside, as they were unknown to each other. The pastor prayed then closed the curtain leaving my new friend puzzled, then suddenly the curtain opened again. The pastor had returned to say: “Before I Go, I have one question: If Jesus was all you had, is He enough?”

My friend laid there pondering this question and found himself repeating again and again that YES, Jesus is enough, and that he would never abandon Christ, even as God has promised never to abandon him. He was reminded once again that setting our mind on the things above comes before our ability to move our focus off our circumstances to those things of Christ. Focusing on our circumstances is most often the normal response to life, yet Paul tells us we can change that focus. (See Col 3:1-3)

That meeting at Starbucks was nearly three years ago, and Rod continues to find that significant strength in Jesus alone. At Starbucks, Rod shared wisdom that only comes from above, and I’ve held fast to it in the years that followed. Rod wrote recently giving me permission to share his story here and his paraphrase from Psalm 16:11: “Life is good, because God is in control.”

The Great Commandment first found in Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us that we must love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbors as our self.   When I am asked to do a wedding ceremony, I often follow the reading of that Scripture by reminding the bride and groom to stay close to God; that the Bible, prayer, and worship are our binding glue, while mentors and like-minded groups (and friends like Rod) will impart God’s wisdom to us.

I remind them that emotions WILL rise from time to time moving our focus quite naturally on circumstance, but to raise our focus to the things above, letting kind and gentle words pave our way. Laughter and regular fun help. Ultimately, living centered on Christ, in ever-greater selfless consideration of each other, our marriage becomes the strong three-cord strand that God designed for us.

We all need to see Christ so clearly, so up close and personal that we realize, and understand like Rod, that Jesus is worthy of our losing everything we value in life in order to know Him. The more we know Him the better we are able to serve Him. The more clearly we see God, the more we are able to give to one another, fulfilling the call of the Scriptures.

Marriage is a radical servant-hood and as I wrote last month, it is the end of our perceived entitlements in life, “our rights” and personal comfort.   Keep in mind that the rights and entitlements we think we have before marriage are just an illusion, since ultimately the only entitlement mankind has, is separation from God because of our sin. But marriage brings home the illusion shattering reality. As your pastor I charge myself and you, to live unselfishly, before one another, submitting to each other in the years to come. As we do, the more willing and able we will become to persevere through anything, holding fast to Jesus —knowing that like emotions, trials too will come.

I will leave you with one final thought from the Word of God found in Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

My friend, a long time follower of Christ, found that day in the hospital, renewed focus, a deeper and sustaining relationship with Jesus, and we will do the same as we explore our relationship with Him and allow the Spirit of God to take us to new depths in our adoration of Christ. If you’d like to hear more about becoming “up close and personal with God”, click here to listen or download an MP3 talk from Dr. Dallas Willard. (left click to listen, right click to download). I believe it will touch your spirit and refresh your soul.