Anxiety is not something we usually associate with Jesus. He is the one who is calm and sleeping during a storm at sea. But we do see glimpses of anxiety in Him from time to time. Because of the robe of flesh He inhabited, we see Him pray for the cup of suffering to pass from Him.
But the anxiety I want to talk about is the anxiety He has as God. It is borne of His nature. He had it while on earth and He has it in heaven today. And His anxiety is brought about by us.
In Luke 15, Jesus responds to the Pharisee and Scribes' complaints of Him associating with sinners. He teaches a lesson in three parables. First, the shepherd who leaves the 99 safe sheep to find the one lost sheep. Then, the woman who searches everywhere to find one lost silver coin. Finally, he talks about the prodigal son.
Consider the common threads of each parable. When something of value is lost, the one who loses it is grieved. He doesn't just write it off and rejoice in what he has that isn't lost. And when the item of great value is found, he rejoices and shares his joy with everyone.
When we lose something we deeply value, we experience anxiety. It forces us to search and sacrifice in order to find it. I can only imagine the state parents finds themselves in when a child goes missing.
You see, when we are lost, Jesus experiences anxiety over us. He is willing to go out and look for us. When others are ready to write us off as a lost cause, He comes searching. He's not above getting His hands dirty to rescue us.
Why? Because He is acutely aware of the perilous situation we are in if we are not found. Without His presence to keep us safe, we will experience an eternity void of Him and any goodness that flows from Him. Without Him, existence is full of pain, despair, evil and hopelessness. The consequences of us remaining lost brings great anxiety to Jesus.
That's why He will never stop searching for us; He will never stop knocking; He will always be willing to focus on the one who is lost. Until His Father sends Him back to claim His own, He will never stop looking for us.
And that's why He says,
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10 ESV).
The joy in heaven is an outflow of relief- anxiety that is eased when the item of great value is found.
No matter how lost you are, Jesus loves you. No matter how many people have written you off as a lost cause, Jesus has not. No matter how much you have done, nothing makes you so dirty that the Lord cannot cleanse you and make you whole. That's what He does. That's why He died. He did it all to find you, His precious possession that fills Him with anxiety.
Be found today and let joyful celebrations echo throughout the halls of heaven. Return to the safety of the 99 and join in prayer as your loving Savior continues His search for one more precious lost soul.
When you are tempted to leave God and join with Satan, remember who the two options truly are.
While the Bible teaches we need to have a healthy respect for the devil's power, only God is all-powerful.
Only God is omnipresent. Satan prowls about seeking someone to devour.
God is sovereign. Even the devil has to yield to His will.
God has demonstrated His tremendous love for you. Satan seeks your eternal destruction.
In the end, God will win. The devil will lose.
So, when you think about the two sides you can choose to stand with, is there really a choice at all?
Respect Satan's power but do not mistake him for the Almighty.
“remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,” (Isaiah 46:9 ESV).