How Do I Know That Jesus Cares?

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

While developing a novel, writers often use the structure of goal, conflict, and resolution. The reason for this is because this structure gives a natural progression of events. When there is a desire someone wishes to have happen, that is considered the goal. If there is something in the way of that goal being accomplished, that is the conflict. The additional action(s )required to overcome the conflict and bring about the goal, that is called the resolution. 

For example:

Goal: I want a drink of water and will do what is necessary to get a drink of water

Conflict: I am in the desert and the last place I know of that had water is a town six miles south of my current position. 

Resolution: Walks south for six miles and gets a drink of water.

The reason goal, conflict, and resolution is so helpful to writers when telling a story and for readers when evaluating a story is because asking “What is the goal?” “What is the conflict?” “What is the resolution?” helps remove all the noise of everything else happening in the story.

These questions don’t just apply to fiction, though. Fiction is a reflection of real life, therefore, these questions also works to help us find and stay focused on goals in other context as well. For instance, goal, conflict, and resolution, can also help us ask questions of Scripture. Let’s look at Jesus’s life and ask: What was Jesus’s goal while He was walking the earth?

Here’s one of Jesus’s stated goals:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” ~Matthew 5:17~

Goal: Fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

Conflict: Satan’s temptations and every sinful suggestion the flesh offered Jesus had Him continually just one wrong choice away from breaking the law. He also had hundreds of prophecies to fulfill and had to fulfill each one while not violating any others in the process. 

Resolution: Jesus rejects Satan, never sins, and fulfills all the prophecies, including those like the two below about Him being a light to the Gentiles and bearing the people’s iniquities. 

“Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”~ Isaiah 49:6~

“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.” ~Isaiah 53:11~

Another of Jesus’s goals: 

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” ~Mat 9:13~

Goal: Call sinners to repentance

Conflict: The people who were sinners but considered themselves righteous didn’t want to hear a message of repentance, so they plotted to kill Jesus.

Resolution: Jesus spoke a message of salvation to the people in a way that they would hear it whether they wanted to or not. He did so by teaching with authority and then allowing Himself to be crucified by the people and raised from the dead by His Father.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’” ~John 12:27-28~

Jesus had goals, the things He was here to do for us, but you know what also happens multiple times while He’s completing those goals? He steps beyond those goals and does even more, why? Because…

“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” ~Matthew 14:14~ (Emphasis added)

In our own lives when we are sick, hurt, overwhelmed, etc., it can feel unkind, painful, and even maybe infuriating when it seems like Jesus doesn’t care enough to help us out of these situations. But in such moments we need to remember that He is full of compassion and that He did and is already fulfilling a mission of compassion on our behalf, and perhaps He will do more. But He has already done what completes the goal that matters above all else.

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” ~1 Timothy 1:15~

Surely He has borne our griefs snd carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. …He was led as a lamb to the slaughter… And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. ….He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied…. because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” ~Isaiah 53:4-12~

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” ~Hebrew 7:25~

Challenge: Hold onto the truth and knowledge that Jesus has compassion, and He did, is, and will continue to compassionately intercede for us.