Where Is Jesus? The Song of the Story

If you would ask me what my favorite song is, I could not think of one single answer. Apparently, though, this song stands out as an oasis for the struggle of the moment. Where is Jesus?

(Hit the “play” button to listen to the song.)

Where Is Jesus?—The Lyrics

"Where Is Jesus?"

I.
On a journey from Jerusalem
 Returning to their home
 Joseph and his family
 Traveled all day long
 They must have walked for many miles
 Before they realized
 Jesus was not with them
 Mary sadly cried

(Chorus I)
Where is Jesus?
 Did we leave Him far behind?
 Did we take for granted He was here
 Walking with us all the time?
 Where is Jesus?
 To find Him once again
 We must return to the place
 Where we left Him
 Where is Jesus?
 Where is Jesus?

II.
I prayed for God to lead my way
 That His will for me be known
 All He asked is that I wait for Him
 Still I stepped out on my own
 Without Him here to guide my steps
 I've failed Him many times
 I only have myself to blame
 I bowed my head and cried

(Chorus II)
Where is Jesus?
 Did I leave Him far behind?
 Did I take for granted He was here
 Walking with me all the time?
 Where is Jesus?
 To find Him once again
 I must return to the place where I left Him
 Where is Jesus?
 Where is Jesus?

III.
You've made some bad decisions
 With a selfish thought in mind
 You had the best intentions for
 The goals you set in life
 Your relationship with God's secure
 But the fellowship is gone
 You can choose to walk with Him again
 You don't have to walk alone

(Chorus III)
Where is Jesus?
 Did you leave Him far behind?
 Did you take for granted He was here
 Walking with you all the time?
 Where is Jesus?
 To find Him once again
 You must return to the place where you left Him
 Where is Jesus?
 Where is Jesus?
 Where is Jesus?

Just where is Jesus?

And why is this post called “The Song of the Story”? What is the story?

Well, we all have stories to tell. We have stories of our own lives—how we’ve managed to walk victoriously over our own set of trials and temptations.

This song by the group “Pictures of Grace” just effectively retells the story of initial defeat, and then, a subsequent victory. It tells of how Mary and Joseph lost their thought of where their “Son” could be.

They assumed He was there with them for one whole day.

Later, their hearts were pierced. Conscience spoke through their neglect. They discovered their weakness. But rather than an ultimate defeat, it was the beginning of their victory.

So where was Jesus?

Apparently, Jesus was just in the temple. He was there, conversing with rabbis—mostly old men who were esteemed authorities back in their day.

Why was He left there? Where were Mary and Joseph headed? How could they be neglectful of Jesus’ presence?

Before we start accusing them, let’s take a look at the rest of the lyrics of the song. I will discuss “The Story Behind the Song” in a separate post. (Click here to get notified when that post comes out.)

Where did we leave Jesus?

We could have left Jesus behind, too. I often do. Often, I pray “for God to lead my way that His will for me be known.”

And all He asks “is that I wait for Him.” Still, I step “out on my own.”

The lyrics of the song just cuts it straight.

Tired of waiting

Often, I get tired of waiting. I’ve been impatient most of the time. In other words, I’ve been impulsive. I guess you, too.

And it’s in here that we make a lot of mistakes. We often get ahead of God. Unknowingly, we think of ourselves as wiser than Him when we make decisions rashly, without conducting a consultation with Him.

A God Taken for Granted

Do we ever take God for granted? We probably do. We brush Him aside whenever we think we’re doing just fine. I know we often do.

In fact, He’s…

Often the Last Resort

Now how would God feel if we make Him our last resort? I don’t know; I’m not God. I could even question if it could be any loss for Him. He’s God. He doesn’t need us.

But the fact that God is love makes a lot of difference.

When we make God our last resort, it’s definitely never His loss. Rather, it is our loss. And how would that make God feel?

Still, A God Who Sympathizes

Isn’t that good news? Think about it. If He’s a God of love, and He truly is, He would most certainly feel for us.

Consider a loving earthly father, watching his son or daughter struggle to obtain a certain item. The son or daughter would have expended all he or she can do just to get that item. But let’s just say only the father knows how.

Wouldn’t it have been easier for the son or daughter to simply have asked the earthly father to get that item for him or her?

But isn’t this an apt illustration of how often we relate in the opposite manner with God?

Returning to Jesus

“To find Him once again, we must return to the place where we left Him.”

Where Is Jesus?

How often we leave Jesus behind right after our devotional time. We make haste to do our daily duties, and we forget the fact that we’ve asked God to guide us every step of the way throughout our day. But we often forget.

Distracted by cares

Our daily cares often distract us from Jesus. But it’s not only our “legitimate” cares that turn our eyes away from the Savior. In this day and age, we are often bombarded by “illegitimate” cares, those that we expose ourselves to unnecessarily.

Distracted by the unimportant

Our newsfeeds truly “feed” our brains. There may be good things out there but it is important to filter our feeds in order to maintain a healthy connection with Jesus. Discipline is necessary.

Following Jesus

In order to really follow Jesus, we may have to unfollow those that prove only to be distractions. Distractions, remember, may be deemed “good,” but not all “good” things get you to a goal.

For example, activism about something “good” may be beneficial, but if it takes all of your time—including your time for Jesus—then that activism must be subjected to control.

How Not to Lose Sight of Jesus

Moment by moment. We need to think of Jesus moment by moment. But how is that even possible?

The key, perhaps, is not to lose consciousness of the presence of Jesus. Our brains are powerful. We may use the power of our minds to imagine what is actually beneficial to our souls. One thing we can do to maintain our connection with Jesus is to imagine Him right here, just beside us.

What If the Savior Stood Beside Me?

This reminds me of another song entitled, “If the Savior Stood Beside Me” by Sally Deford. I also love this song as it is on point. If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?

Indeed, our consciousness of the presence of Jesus beside us, or wherever we go, makes a lot of difference in the way we behave. We certainly would have this “fear” of Him—not a fear that would make one fear a tyrant, for of a certainty, God isn’t a tyrant—but a certain reverent, godly fear that would prevent us from sinning against Him.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?”

Just where can we go from God’s Spirit? Where can we hide from His presence? (See Psalm 139:7-10). Now God is everywhere. But doesn’t this contradict the question we’ve asked from the beginning? Where is Jesus?

It may be beneficial to point out that Jesus will forever retain His human nature. Indeed, He can’t be everywhere at once. He’s presently in heaven, ministering as high priest on our behalf. But He can be everywhere at once, only through the person of His Spirit.

It’s our choices that make us feel away from God

While God can manifest His presence to us, anytime, anywhere, and while He sees us anytime, anywhere, we can still feel far away from God. This is because of our own choices. Darkness envelops us whenever we, by choice, distract ourselves from Him.

“You can choose to walk with Him again”

As the song says, we “can choose to walk with Him again.” You and I “don’t have to walk alone.” We can walk with Jesus again.

Do you ever feel lost, and far away from God right now? The good news is in the song. It is the song of my story, your story. While it began by retelling an apparent defeat in someone’s spiritual walk, it ends with an encouraging note that we can, indeed, choose to walk with Jesus again.

Where is Jesus? He’s just there waiting for your choice. Take that U-turn and walk with Him, again.