One bright autumn morning, I was sitting at the breakfast table, thinking, “I’ve certainly had a lot of problems lately.
Troubles at work, troubles at home, I really ought to take time to pray about hem.”
All of a sudden, I sense that someone had walked into the room behind me.
I spun around and gasped, “Lord Jesus! What are you doing here?”
The Lord Jesus was standing in my doorway! I rubbed my eyes — was it really He?
Yes, everything checked out, from the tip of the white seamless robe to the faint glimmering around his head.
“That is errr…..it’s not that you shouldn’t be here. I’m just not used to you dropping in with such a visible form,” I stammered.
This unexpected visit unsettled me. I vaguely wondered if I had done anything wrong.
He smiled and the light in his eyes brightened. “Would you like to go for a walk with me?” Jesus inquired.
“Uhmm -…why…ah…sure!” I replied.
And so the two of us walked down the little country lane that leads past my home.
Slowly, the truth began to dawn on me and I murmured to myself, “What an incredible opportunity!
He has all the answers to my problems—- my relationships —– work—-my worries about the future—-family troubles. All I need is to ask him.”
We walked quietly for several minutes, then I turned towards Him.
“Excuse me, Lord Jesus,” I said, “but I need some advice on a very difficult problem.”
Before I could finish, Jesus raised his fingers to his lips and tilted his head. “Shh…Do you hear it?”
He asked. At first I didn’t hear a thing. But then I heard the faint sound of water tumbling over rocks from a nearby stream, beneath the overhanging autumn leaves. The Lord Jesus sighed, “Isn’t that beautiful?” “Ah, yes, I suppose.”
I was thoroughly distracted in my surge of thoughts.
I waited a few minutes to show respect, and then blurted out, “Lord Jesus , I’ve been worried about my prayer life. Things have been awfully empty. Now, according to the books I’ve read….”
He put his arm around my shoulder. “Hush, do you hear it?” He asked again.
Children were playing in the nearby meadow. And again, He smiled. “Isn’t it wonderful?” He exclaimed. “Sure, now that you mention it.” Then I added irritably, “ You know I love children, too.”
We walked on. A horrible thought loomed in my mind. What if I lost this opportunity” Here were all the answers to my troubles, right at my elbow!
Jesus knew the deepest mysteries of the universe, of love, and of death.
As a last resort, I decided to talk to Him about religion.
After all, that is His line of work. “Lord Jesus,” I ventured, “I was wondering what you think of the conflict in modern biblical scholarship between….?
He interrupted once more by putting a friendly arm around my shoulder, and I gritted my teeth.
Jesus stopped and silently picked up several roadside pebbles.
A boyish grin crossed His face. “ I’ll bet you can’t hit the top of that telephone pole,” He challenged.
I was bewildered. Why, of all things! And from Jesus himself!
This was not something I expected from the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.
If you were God, wouldn’t you be a bit more serious about it? He casually tossed a pebble toward the pole. It arched silently through the air. Hmmmm…. Jesus missed!
My depression was deepening, but still I stooped to pick up several pebbles myself.
What else could I do? Half-heartedly, I tossed it in the general direction of the pole. Whack!
I hit the pole. Jesus proudly looked at me and chuckled. “hey you’re good,” He said.
As we strolled further, the knots in my stomach tightened. Whenever I wanted to talk about anything of importance, there would always be an interruption. Some faded blue chicory would be brushed by the wind, or a butterfly would light on a moss-covered fencepost.
At last our walk ended. I was so upset that I couldn’t think of anything to say.
Beneath His flowing black beard, Jesus had a gentle and playful smile.
As He turned to leave, the light from His eyes intensified. Jesus walked to the door, glanced at me over His shoulder and said, “Just stop trying so hard.”
Author: David Juniper
Translater: Anja
