So if Jesus is Immanuel- God (literally) With Us, let’s examine what question might help us even more in His service than the excellent WWJD (what would Jesus do?). Undoubtedly this question has helped scores of people to think about Jesus and what He might do if He were in their situation and it is a beautiful question.
However, it has the sound of asking what any historical wise sage might do i.e. Gandhi, Buddha, Mother Teresa, Solomon, etc. in our particular situation. In the case of Jesus though He is living and present and desirous of actually doing life together with anyone who desires Him to do so. In addition and contrast with the others, He is always actively working and moving in this world and in our lives. With Jesus, we have the opportunity to not just wonder what an historical figure might do but instead we can interact directly with Him to literally go with us and give us wisdom and empowerment in all of life’s matters.
Based on that reality, what about a new question that might go like, “ what is Jesus doing? (WiJd)?
In asking this question we are looking to actively set our minds on Him, see what He’s doing, and then join together with Him in what He’s about. This will be on many levels, in our own lives, the lives of others around us, and what He’s doing in our world right now.
What an opportunity that Jesus invites us into, to join Him in what He cares about! One might ask, what does He care about and is active in? Actually there are lots of things which I’ll address in subsequent writings but they include making your inner life whole and vibrant, working in all of the details of your outer external areas of living, working in this way with people everywhere and in the affairs of all of this world. Best yet, begin to ask Him and think deeply about this yourself and answers will begin to come your way.
What is Jesus doing? He invites us to see and to hear and to know and to participate and to experience Him through it all!
Engaged in this way going forward with one’s own attention there with Jesus leads to an altogether empowered life and sense of purpose no matter what circumstances swirl about us. We are surely not on our own anymore in this world and we will be able to echo the words, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life as I participate in His household forever! This loving Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe welcomes all of us who would, in whatever condition we are in, to join Him in every detail of His life and ours.
He bids you to ask and to explore, “what is Jesus doing” and experience the transformation of being that comes along.
Begin to ask and look regularly as well as to what He said and what was said about Him in the scriptures and see how He reveals Himself to you. It’s there for instance that you’ll find Him, after giving His first followers (and all to come) their glorious mission, that He told them they would not have to do it all by themselves because He’d be doing all those things with them even to the end of this world (the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28). In another example, Paul the apostle, wrote in a letter to the Corinthian believers that they were co-laborers with Jesus and the whole of writings about Him convey His purpose in coming in human form to announce that the way into His household/kingdom, to live in a new reality under His care and direction, was now open to all. When you dig into the scriptures and are experiencing His presence you’ll begin to see Him everywhere giving you specific direction on how and where to engage Him.
The adventure of adventures of our lives is right in front of us as we engage this living One who gives us new life and then empowers us to live in that life more abundant that He has made a way for us to have.
So consider giving it a start by asking, “what is Jesus doing?” as you go through your day or even directly asking Him, Jesus, what are You doing right now?”
Shalom!
I liked this post. It reminds me of the concepts in “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby, which I thought was a powerful book, and very insightful into the ways God works in the world. I liked how at the very end you turned it from WIJD to asking Jesus, “What are You doing?”