Jesus on Facebook?

If you’re an avid participant on Facebook, you know the feeling of excitement when you log into your account and see those red numbers lit up over these three features:

Friend Requests. Messages. Notifications.

Why do we get excited to see a friend request? Well, someone has searched for us and wants to specifically be a part of our social media world. You have a choice though to either accept or ignore this request. Once you’ve accepted, this person becomes part of your Facebook world….a window into your life.

It’s a big deal to get a private message from someone!  One of your friends is seeking you out with a specific message intended just for you.  Someone knows you well enough to ask you a question or connect with you on a deeper level.  You can reply back with confidence that nobody else sees your words because of the security attached to this private feature.

And what about all those notifications? What’s it really mean?It might sound simple, but the more active you are with posting comments and pictures, the more likely it is that people will give you feedback.  Ultimately it’s the evidence of interaction. The more you are actively engaged on Facebook, your social media life becomes more intertwined with others.

Maybe you didn’t realize it, but Jesus has been an avid user of friend requests, messages and notifications way longer than Facebook has been alive.  Now he doesn’t use these exact labels, but the parallels are strikingly similar if you ponder this closely. If He used our “Facebook terminology” it might look something like this:

Friend Requests: Because of what He did on the cross, Jesus has sent out a friend request to ALL people. Each and every person on this earth is extended a friend request from Him. He seeks them out specifically desiring to enter their world, and ultimately their heart.  They have the choice to accept or ignore that request.

Messages: After accepting the friend request from Jesus, your relationship becomes personal.  The Bible is God’s message for all followers of Christ. But the way He speaks to us goes even deeper than that! There are private messages He communicates to us through the Holy Spirit, living inside each uniquely designed follower.

He knows you well enough to meet your deepest longings. And you can pour out your heart directly to him with confidence. Confidence that nobody else knows what you just prayed–with security that He’s heard you.

Notifications: Once you’ve embarked on a genuine journey with Jesus, you get involved with other followers. You do life with them.  You celebrate your joys together as well as grieve through the tough times. You can’t do this alone by any means. You need the body of Christ.

He also calls us to fulfill the great commission…to become fishers of men. This is where we go beyond ourselves and reach out to others. We invite them into our lives. We pour into them. We build them up to go out and do the same. Just as Facebook notifications are evidence of involvement, our ministry to others is evidence of our faith. It’s our FRUIT.

So where are you, dear friend? Have you accepted His friend request?I pray that you have! But if you haven’t, the request is still valid. Call out to Him today.

If you are His child, are you seeking Him with all your heart and soaking up His word?Are you being still enough to hear His  message–that gentle whisper? Are you calling out to Him? Rest assured that He hears you. He knows you. He loves you.

What do your notifications (FRUIT)  look like? Are you walking alongside anyone? Pouring into those who need help? Reaching out to those co-workers who seem hopeless? Building relationships with your neighbors?

Ask God to give you courage to step out of your comfort zone and get involved. He doesn’t suggest this. He commands it. And what He calls us to do, He promises to equip.

Next time you’re checking your friend requests, messages or notifications, let it be a reminder to check the condition of your heart and see if you’re where Jesus wants you to be.

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett