Wishing I Could be Jesus

 by Marcia Lee Laycock

I recently attended a funeral for a young man who died too soon, leaving a wife and three young girls. The sadness overwhelms at times and it makes me wish I could be Jesus, especially now, at Christmas time, just for a few minutes, just long enough to say, as He did, “arise.”

But then, I realize that He doesn’t need me to do His work for Him. He has already done it. He has already said that wondrous, mysterious word and brought that young man into His kingdom, given him time to have a productive, full life here on this earth, and then brought Him home, to the place where he has wanted to be, as a believer in Christ.

Often things don’t seem right to us. The world seems off kilter and full of so much pain and suffering it overwhelms us at times. And we want to be Jesus. We want to snap our fingers and make it all better. But He has already been at work. He has a plan for this earth, for each one of us, a plan that goes far beyond what we could ever imagine. He told the Hebrew people that, when they were in circumstances that were full of pain and suffering – their captivity in Babylon. Living as slaves, they no doubt often cried out to God to bring them relief from all the suffering and pain they saw around them.

This was His answer – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Sometimes, in my writing, I try to be Jesus. I try to erase all the pain and sorrow and make the world a better place, a more pleasant place. An admirable purpose, perhaps, but does it serve my readers? Does it serve them to deny the pain that Jesus has allowed in the world? Would it not be better to show how we can all move beyond that pain?

Would it not be better to show them how to look up? Would it not be good to remind them that when we see all those decorated Christmas trees, we should look for the star or the angel on the top, and know Jesus is with us?

Would it not be an encouragement to show them how to look around and see there are others who are struggling, and nudge them to reach out?

Would it not be best to direct them how to look ahead, to know that Jesus has promised a bright future, and given us a way to know we are secure in his hand, even in the worst of times?

Yes, there are times I wish I could be Jesus. And there are times I write as though I am. But then I remember – He is the Messiah, the Living God, our hope and our comfort and we can survive anything with Him at our side. If I strive to portray that reality in my writing I will have done my job well.

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We want to snap our fingers and make it all better~ Marcia Laycock (Click to Tweet)

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Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada where she is a pastor's wife and mother of three adult daughters. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone. The sequel, A Tumbled Stone, was also short listed for a Word Award. Marcia has three novels for middle grade readers and four devotional books in print and has contributed to several anthologies. Her work has been endorsed by Sigmund Brouwer, Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and Mark Buchanan.

Her most recent release is Christmas, a collection of short stories that will take you from the far reaches of the galaxy to the streets of an inner city and the cold landscape of the far north. In every setting the Christmas Spirit is alive and well. Now available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.

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