Who He is To Me.

I was talking with one of my best friends last Monday. Not a rare occurrence, as it is usually the best part of my week... yet this particular Monday, the conversation went a little differently. We did the normal catching up about school, family, friends, and love, followed by prayer and talk of what we see God doing in our lives. We were just about to say goodbye, my heart full and so thankful for the beautiful women God has placed in my life... when my sweet friend says to me, "Who is Jesus to you, Lyss?" I was speechless. For multiple reasons. The first of which is who am I that God would bless me with friends that challenge, convict, and love me all in the name of Christ? I will be forever grateful. The second reason being that no one has ever posed this question to me before. I love Jesus, with everything I am. But THIS question is loaded. It carries so much weight. After a couple minutes of silence, both of us just thinking, we decided to re-convene on the question a week later.

It's a week later.

... and while I have no mind-blowing, life-changing, wondrous answer, I do serve a mind-blowing, life-changing, wondrous God. So I'll share what I've come up with for no other reason that to glorify His name, praying that my passion will bring Him fame.

Who is Jesus to me?

I am absolutely overcome when I think about who Jesus is. In a world enamored with physical beauty, electronics, and GPA... it is so easy for my God to be placed in the backseat, overlooked and taken for granted. But Jesus is so much more than a man who died on a cross.

I can't believe what He did for me. Utterly blameless and without sin, He bore all my shame, all my sin, every evil thought, every ugly thing I have ever done or ever will do. He was the pure and spotless Lamb of God, yet He was beaten and tortured as though He were responsible for all the sin of the world across the entire span of time, from beginning to end. Just thinking of what He suffered due to my sin alone brings me to tears and brokenness.

His precious blood was poured out for me on a cruel cross, and by His wounds I am healed. Justified. Redeemed. When He looks at me He sees me as spot-free and without blemish. I can't even fathom how this is possible because I know me. I know all the ugliness in my heart. I know my ungodly thoughts and actions. Yet through His sacrifice He has purified me, restored innocence, and made me clean. I am so unworthy.

He fills up every possible void in my heart. When I hear a beautiful love song that makes me want to cry, He fills that empty place in my dreams that I pray will one day be filled by a man who I might've sung it to. When I get one of those ridiculous personal survey emails and read the "Who is the love of your life?" question in the subject box, Jesus is my answer. He's the One whose unfailing love brings healing to my broken heart. Gentle and lowly, He is the true picture of genuine humility. Jesus lovingly encourages me to take His yoke and hand Him my burdens. He yearns for me to cry out to Him, and He faithfully keeps my dreams and thoughts and desires safe.

Jesus is the One by whom I have all authority over the enemy. He defeated all the powers of hell through His death and resurrection, and His every victory also belongs to me through the shedding of His blood on the cross. The mere mention of His name brings healing, peace, comfort, wisdom, direction, and rest. He performs miracles right in front of my face, and makes known His presence all throughout my day. He is right there with me in the furnace and through every fire, and He goes to battle for me without fail. Jesus is the One whose arms are around me when storm clouds rear their ugly heads. I am in Him, and when enemies hurt and attack, He shields and protects and brings joy.

Jesus is the One I want others to see when they see me. He is the One I want others to hear when I speak. I want to know Him more, and I want to love others with His love. I'm humbly grateful that God sent His precious Son to this cruel world so that I might have abundant life. I am a nanny (for children I have known for six months), and I know how much it hurts me when they suffer even a tiny little scratch. How painful it must have been for my Father in heaven to watch all His Son endured. And all for the likes of me. I don't deserve it.

I haven't the vocabulary to articulate all that Jesus is to me, so let me just say that Jesus astounds me every single day with His amazing love. He is worthy of all my praise. I fail Him every day, but He never, ever fails me. His grace and mercy flows abundantly into every part of my life every time I fall short, covering me, cleansing me, and making me new. He overwhelms me.

Who is Jesus to me?

He is my Everything.