Day Twenty-Eight

When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Luke 13:12-13


I was thinking about Luke today.
A couple of years ago. I decided I wanted to know Jesus. Just him. Not religion. Not what someone told me. Not what a church or denomination said about him.
I prayed that he would show me. Just him. Cause people loved Jesus, ya' know? Sometimes I think we read the Bible and the words lift off the page in monotone. But Jesus had friends, people flocked to him, he hung out with interesting people, he laughed, he was good with kids, he had fun at weddings ...
I had a wise lady guide me to the gospels and give me the advice of learning about Jesus from the people who spent the most time with him, his disciples. To view him through their eyes.
I've always really loved John and his relationship with Jesus, reclining against him. Loving him with a pure heart, hearing his heart beat.
But I began by reading Luke. Luke was a physician. There's some interesting things to think about when thinking about the eyes Luke viewed Jesus through. Was he an analytical thinker? Did he have trouble accepting the miracles he was seeing? Was he skeptical about a virgin birth? As a healer could he relate more beautifully to the Healer? What kinds of things did they talk about? Did he worry about if Jesus was keeping hydrated or exhausting himself? What kinds of things did he say to the people who were suffering? What was his primary role in this beautiful band of brothers? What was his favorite thing about Christ? What could he relate to most about him? What parts of Jesus did Luke see that he wanted most to be like?
I never finished the research I was doing with my heart and learning to understand this Jesus I believe in. The real one, that hasn't been polluted by all our perceptions and legalism, religion.
Which disciple would you have chosen to meet Jesus through?
Do you desire to know him? Just him.
Sometimes you find out the most beautiful things about people, from learning who they are by asking their best friends.
I think I need to go back and spend a little more time with the good doctor, the fishermen, the youngest, the beloved, the one who was labeled as the doubter ... He chose them.
They chose to follow him.
Not many people would have known him better.
How much do you desire to know him today?
His personality, his quirks, his loves, his words. What made him laugh? What made him cry? God came to earth as man. What kind of man did he choose to be?
One who desired to have people he could trust around him, people who could help him carry out his mission and one who would betray him -- to fulfill his calling.
Why not make a lunch date with one of the twelve?
What will they tell you? About their friend, Jesus?
How their faces would light up, if asked about this man who calmed the waters -- just for them.