Where’s Jesus?

Where’s Jesus?

When my sons were younger, one of their favourite books was Where’s Wally? Wally is a geeky, bespectacled character wearing a woolly hat and stripy jumper, who is cleverly hidden in a crowd of people. The books show him on a beach, at a football game or bustling street market. The idea of the game is to find Wally in the throng.

I saw a witty Covid inspired cartoon last week. Wally is standing alone with only a few others in the picture – all respecting the strict social isolation rules. No longer hidden, Wally was there for all to see, exposed and looking very vulnerable.

More than a few people are currently asking, ‘Where’s Jesus?’ The global crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic challenges the view that God is in control and that human life is something that concerns him. Philip Yancey’s best-selling book has the title, Where is God when it Hurts? and that is a question all of us ask from time to time.

The answer is found in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry on earth. The sick, the poor, the oppressed and those troubled by evil spirits are all top of Jesus’ To Do list. His Nazareth Manifesto (see Luke 4:16-21) makes it plain this was the heartbeat of his work.

But we know from experience there are times when emergencies occur, people die suddenly and heaven seems strangely silent and far away. It’s at these times we feel God-forsaken and abandoned. Jesus knew that too as he died alone on the cross.

I have found it helpful at such times to fill my mind with all the scriptures tell of the kindness, mercy and grace of God. To recall that Jesus is the ‘Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’ and is close to those with broken hearts.

Where’s Jesus? He’s closer than you think.

Serving, giving, loving

I‘d just started out as a young minister and had been appointed to work in a church alongside an experienced senior pastor. I watched him closely and tried (not very well) to be as good as he was at dealing with a rich assortment of pastoral needs.

One day, he was on the receiving end of some disappointing news. It was made worse by being wrapped up in some hefty criticism of his leadership abilities. I could see from his face he was crushed and deeply hurt. We talked and I offered to pray for him. It wasn’t a very good prayer as I didn’t know what to ask God for.

As we concluded, he got up from his chair with a sense of purpose. He looked different, less beaten and more confident. (Trust me, it wasn’t my prayer, honest.)

I asked what he was going to do.

‘I am going to find two or three people in need’ he said ‘and spend the afternoon visiting and praying with each of them.’ My face must have shown my puzzlement. ‘You see’ he continued, ‘I have found the best thing to do when you’re hurting is to go and comfort others who are hurting too’.

I’ve never forgotten this wisdom. And I think A.A. Milne captured something of it when he wrote about being useful:

“It’s hard to be brave”, said Piglet, sniffing slightly, “when you’re only a Very Small Animal”.

 Rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said, “It’s because you are a very small animal that you will be Useful in the adventure before us.”

 Piglet was so excited at the idea of being Useful that he forgot to be frightened.

Ian Coffey

Moorlands College, April 2020