Our Ever-Present Companion

In digging through the pile of junk that I've so delicately jammed into the extended cab of my beat-up Ford Ranger, I unearthed a devotional written by perhaps my favorite author of all time: Brennan Manning. The book, called Reflections for Ragamuffinsis an excellent devotional taken from Brennan's other writings. Here is the devotional entry from May 11th:

Standing on a London street corner, G.K. Chesterton was approached by a newspaper reporter. "Sir, I understand that you recently became a Christian. May I ask you one question?"

"Certainly," replied Chesterton.

"If the risen Christ suddenly appeared at this very moment and stood behind you, what would you do?"

Chesterton looked the reporter squarely in the eye and said, "He is."

Is this a mere figure of speech, wishful thinking, a piece of pious rhetoric? No, this truth is the most real fact about our life; it is our life. The Jesus who walked the roads of Judea and Galilee is the One who stands beside us. The Christ of history is the Christ of faith.

I love it! Jesus is our ever-present companion. What a powerful truth that Chesterton had realized even as a new believer in the risen LORD. If only we had such a faith! May we, my brothers and sisters, grasp the present reality that He is truly with us.