The Psalmist expresses a deep desire that many of us feel for more of God in our lives. Often we come to those moments when nothing else can satisfy but Jesus.
Just give me more of Jesus!
Psalm 42:1-6 NKJV As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You…
Just give me more of Jesus!
Have you experienced loss in your life? Have you prayed that you would just have a little more time? When you love someone with all of your heart, you just cannot get enough.
The Apostle John was living in the last days of what had been an unforgettable and life-changing experience. He was on the Isle called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. He along with the other disciples had spent three incredible years walking and talking with Jesus Christ and observing the Lord’s public ministry. It must have been amazing to daily walk and talk with Jesus. I can only imagine what it must have been like to witness His miracles and acts of power.
In John 16, Jesus was telling them that His time on earth was about over.He was preparing them for the separation that was coming. Jesus knew that He was headed to the cross and great suffering.
What Jesus was doing and saying was to strengthen them for His departure and crucifixion. Then He said He would rise again and ascend back to the Father in heaven. They had trouble understanding the words that Jesus spoke. He was preparing them for the things that would happen. He knew they would be sent into all the world with a great commission.
In Matthew 16:22, When Jesus began telling them about His sufferings, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke the Lord, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Jesus told Peter he was an offense to Him, for he was not mindful of the things of God.
It had been a phenomenal three years. I can only imagine the thrill they must have experienced watching the Lord do so many amazing things. None of us have witnessed anything so amazing or wonderful. They just did not have enough.
John and the other disciples observed things they would never forget.
- Can you imagine being at that wedding feast and seeing water turned into wine?
- It shocked all of their senses and emotions when the wind and sea became still at the word of Jesus’ mouth.
- He gave sight to one born blind and opened the ears of the deaf and caused a paralytic to get up and walk.
- At His word demons fled and lepers were healed and cleansed.
- He broke the fish and bread and fed thousands.
- He walked on the surface of the sea in the midst of the storm.
- He walked up to the tomb of Lazarus and called the dead man out of the grave.
- They had witnessed so many miracles that they could not recount them all.
- Multitudes of people brought all their sick and afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them all, (Matthew 4:24).
- Nothing had been too large or too small for Him to handle. They had heard Jesus tell Simon Peter to go down to the sea and cast a hook and take the fish that comes up first. Then Jesus said, “You will find a piece of money; take that and give it to the tax collectors for you and Me.” (Matthew 17:27)
- When they were walking by a fig tree and Jesus was hungry and found no figs, He cursed the tree and it immediately withered and died from the root.
They were drawn to Jesus by more than just the thrill of seeing all of the signs and wonders that He did. What He did was amazing, but they were drawn to Jesus by Who He was.
- They received peace by Jesus’ confident voice.
- They were overwhelmed by His compassion and gentle touch.
- They were moved and changed by His powerful preaching and encouraged with His sensitive counseling and care.
- The personal intimacy of Christ’s prayers taught them.
- They were challenged by the example of His sacrificial giving and unselfish surrender to the Father.
- His character had an unbroken consistency.
- They were amazed at the unconditional nature of His love.
The disciples were convinced that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel, the Son of God.
On Patmos, John was desperate for more of Jesus.
- He wanted more of His time.
- He was desperate for more of His thoughts.
- He wanted more of His teaching.
- He wanted more of HIM.
I know that desperate feeling that the disciples had for more of Jesus. They had known Jesus face to face.
I have known Him personally and have hungered for His touch and help. I have known Him from the time I was a child. I remember when He first became real to my life. The power of His love and presence overwhelmed my heart and emotions. Many times He has come close and revealed His love, goodness, and mercy. He has thrilled and filled my life with His Holy Spirit. I have been excited and overwhelmed by the power of His anointing when He called me aside to serve Him. I remember times when my heart’s cry under unbearable pressure has been “just give me more of Jesus.”
All of this time in His presence, all of this devotion to His service, is just not enough…
I have concluded it will never be enough until my faith becomes sight and I see Him as He is. It will never be enough until I fully know Him in all of His glory and power just as He has fully known me. My soul cries out, give me more of Jesus.
This is why the Bible is so important to our lives. I can open its pages and get an eyewitness account of Jesus’ life and ministry. I can catch a glimpse of Who Jesus is. I can see His glory and witness His power. I can see Jesus.
Yet, that is not enough.
I long for more. I want to sit in His presence and feel the touch of His hands. I want to feel the warmth of His embrace. I want to know more of Jesus.
I want more than just enough!
I want more than just enough to call myself a Christian. I want more than just enough to manage my guilt. I want more than just enough to escape hell’s fire. I want more than just enough to be saved from God’s wrath. I want more than just enough to get into heaven.
I want more than the bare minimum.
I have a deep desire for more of what God has to offer. I don’t want to settle for little when I know there is more. I long for everything God wants to give me.
I long for more than enough…
I want more than enough to bend my will and awaken my conscience. I want more than enough to break my heart. I want more than enough to transform my mind and change my way of thinking. I want more than enough to overcome my prejudices. I want more than enough to lift my spirit.
I want enough to change me into His glorious image and give me a glorious entrance into heaven. I want to be saturated with Jesus and be transformed into His likeness.
Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV84 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
I want Him to do that immeasurably more in me.
Just give me more of Jesus.
I have read and learned Who He is.
- He’s the master of the mighty.
- He’s the captain of the conquerors.
- He’s the head of the heroes.
- He’s the leader of legislators.
- He’s the overseer of the overcomer.
- He’s the governor of governors.
- He’s the prince of princes.
- He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I have seen what He has done!
- He has forgiven sin, and restored and rebuilt lives.
- He has healed and helped the sick!
- He has reconciled and redeemed the lost.
- He has comforted and carried the hurting.
- He has lifted and loved the downcast and the outcast.
- He is the God of the second chance.
- He guards the young and helps the old.
- He seeks the stray, finds the lost and welcomes home the prodigal.
- He guides the faithful and rights the wronged.
- He avenges the abused, defends the weak, and comforts the oppressed.
- He cleanses the dirty and beautifies the barren.
- He restores the failure and repairs the broken.
- He supplies strength to the weary and increases power to the faint.
- He offers escape to the tempted and sympathizes with the hurting.
- He saves the hopeless, shields the helpless and sustains the homeless.
- He gives purpose to the aimless and gives reason to the meaningless.
- He offers fulfillment for the emptiness and comforts the lonely.
- He brings light to the darkness and gives life to the lifeless.
- He gives fruit to the barren and gives a future to the hopeless.
I have read things about Him that I have never seen, experienced, or known. I want more of Jesus. I want to know Jesus in the way that John saw Him on the isle of Patmos.
In Revelation 1:12-18 NIV84 John said, “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
I want to know more about Jesus.
John said that He is coming back to earth in the clouds of glory and every eye will see Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, Who is, Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.
I want to know Him more. I want to dwell in His presence. I want more…
Just Give Me More of Jesus!
