Fifteen Minutes Alone With Jesus

 

"What would you ask Jesus if you were riding in the car with Him? Just you and Him?" 

I asked this question of my eleven-year-old grandson while driving alone with him. I have always liked to ask random questions of my kids and now my grandchildren while they were held captive in the passenger seat. You can have pretty interesting conversations when they aren't distracted by television or video games.

"I don't know. That's a pretty good question." I will add here that Mason is a pretty imaginative kid so this conversation went on for a couple of minutes with some interesting topics we might pose to Someone who would have the answer to anything we could throw at Him. We opted against knowing too much about our futures, thinking it would not really be a good thing to know too much. We discarded mundane things, such as do dogs go to Heaven or will we recognize people once we arrive. We ultimately decided we would turn the topic over to Him. 

"Jesus, you told some great stories in Your time here. Do you have a story that wasn't recorded that You think I should hear? What do You think I need to hear, or know, that I haven't heard that will help me where I am, or where I am going?" Then we decided we would just sit and listen. . . Let Him do the talking. After all. You know. God.

We were pretty pleased with ourselves. Seemed like a good idea. And I suppose that it is. I've thought many times that the questions that we seem to think that we will ask God when we get to Heaven will vanish like cotton candy in the rain when we see Him. Things that perplex us, confuse us, really seem to matter here will be of absolutely no concern at all when we slip out of these mortal bonds. How poetic. 

But reality stepped in when we started to envision a physical encounter with God in the Flesh. We could honestly get some real answers here and now? Some guidance. . . some clarity. It reminded me of some fifteen minute mentor appointments I had recently at a writer's conference. I went in knowing exactly what I wanted to ask, what information I was seeking, and what advice I needed from these seasoned veterans. But as I sat across the table from one of my favorite authors, all my goals fled my mind. I just wanted to ask about her and how she wrote. I forgot about me, and wanted to know about her. 

The truth is, if I had a fifteen minute one-on-one with Jesus as a passenger in my car, and asked Him the question I posed above, I am afraid I know what He would say to me. I don't think I would hear a so far untold parable. I would not get a new revelation or proverb. Rather, a gentle but firm reminder.

"There is nothing new for you that isn't in the Word that I left for you. There is nothing that can be added to what I have already said that will make it easier or better for you now or in the future. You have My Word, My Spirit and My presence already."

The truth: it's a fun exercise to imagine a one-on-one time with the Creator of the Universe riding in the car with us, listening to us, and giving us His full attention. Ready to answer our questions and guide us with His wisdom. But, we already have all that if we but only access it.