JESUS – ALL WE NEED (Viewpoint)

It seems not many people realize that God did not have to leave His throne in the highest heavens from where He rules His Universe to be with His people Israel, from the burning bush to the crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land and beyond. There was no need for Him to do this. He authorized, His Son, the Logos, to represent Him and speak for Him even as He authorized angels to do the same from time to time. The Logos accomplished everything faithfully, as directed. He was by day, the cloud of smoke and by night, the pillar of fire, caring for God’s people during the long wilderness journey.

Likewise, during the long wilderness journey of His Church to their Heavenly Canaan, the Lord Jesus Christ is to them, the cloud of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night gently, lovingly but surely guiding us day by day to the end of our journey toward the heavenly mansions He has gone to prepare for us (John 14:2). Hebrews 1:3 beautifully states, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” It is a great source of comfort to know He is always with us and will never leave us.

He spoke to God’s people out of the cloud. Deut. 5:22 says, “These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness.” In our darkest hours, we can always turn to Him and receive encouragement and comfort. His whispers to us are always strengthening.

The Lord Jesus is our abundant supply. As long as the children of Israel were in sight of the cloud, the manna fell nightly and the rock gave forth its sweet water. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 we read, “And they drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them and that rock was Christ.” Flowing water often refers to God’s Spirit of grace and often we are refreshed by the Truth and by drinking His words to satisfy our thirst.

The Lord Jesus is our protection. At the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud came between the Children of Israel and the Egyptians. We read in Ex. 14:24, “In the morning watch the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into

confusion.” The Lord protects us by confounding our enemies. It is a comfort to know we have such a valiant defender at all times.

The Lord Jesus is also a shelter. He is like a huge umbrella over us. Psalm 121:5 says, “The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade upon your right hand, the sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” Just to think that the Lord, unseen, is consciously watching over and protecting us, truly interested in our comings and goings, a constant stabilizing influence in our lives.

The Lord Jesus is our source of light: a cloud by day, a fire by night. Apart from Him, there is only darkness. In John 1:4 we read, “In him was life, and that light was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness.” Although we cannot see far into the future, as we would like, we have sufficient light to see where to step next. We no longer fear darkness because His light expels all darkness.

The Lord Jesus is our guide. If we go without the cloud and the pillar of fire, we go without God and without Jesus. Many are no longer rejoicing because they have allowed the cloud and the fire to go out of their lives. To walk in the light is to keep in touch with our Lord, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, in whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1). When we have Jesus as our Guide, we can navigate safely the most dangerous of circumstances. Is the Lord Jesus Christ your cloud by day and your pillar of fire by night? Is He your unfailing supply, protection, shelter, light, and guide in all circumstances? The answer is yours to give, we pray He is your All in All!

G. Boccaccio

Jesus is All the World to Me

Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all;

He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall.

When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;

When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, and true to Him I’ll be;

Oh, how could I this friend deny when He’s so true to me?

Following Him I know I’m right, He watches o’er me day and night;

Following Him by day and night ~ He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me; I want no better friend;

I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when life’s fleeting days shall end.

Beautiful life with such a friend, beautiful life that has no end;

Eternal life, eternal joy! He’s my Friend.

W. L. Thompson