“What Does Jesus Mean to Me?”
As I live my life, faithfully serving Christ in all that I can, I continue to ponder the question of what does Jesus mean to me? He is my Savior, He is my Friend, all of which and more is encompassed in the answer, “He is all I need.”
Now this sounds cliché, but sometimes simple phrases expounded on to reveal a deeper meaning become profound and powerful statements. First, I came to know Christ as my Judge, the one who would bring justice to all this injustice in the world. With this knowledge, I became afraid of this just Judge, for I knew that I was a sinner and part of the problem. As a result, I repented of my sins and knew Christ, the righteous Judge, as my Savior and Friend. With the fear gone, I came to know Christ as my Master, the one I serve faithfully out of love, my Master, Redeemer, Savior, Judge, and Friend.
As I continued to try and serve the Master, I came to know Him as my Protector and Defense. The realization that the One who did the harder thing by not sparing His Son, could do the much easier thing of keeping me in Him until all that I have faithfully committed to Him will be glorified, brought renewed joy and peace into my life. I have confidence in Him with the full knowledge that I have His righteousness imputed to me by His grace, and that I am preserved and strengthened by His grace. It is with confidence in these truths I can come to Him and cry in a loving yet helpless voice, “Abba Father!”
Now, as graduation is coming, and a new area of my life is beginning, I am coming to a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ as my Guide. With uncertainty of how various things will go, I can say with full assurance that this I know, I have been justified. The righteous Judge of a wicked man has become his greatest Friend, through forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. When I die, I’ll go to Him. But until then, out of love for the grace shown in forgiving my sin, I will serve Him faithfully till the end, in any place He may send, my loving Master, Redeemer, Judge, Protector, Father, Guide, my sweetest Friend. He is all I need.
Thaddaeus Bonzon Homeschool Graduate 2022