A vision of Jesus...

I don't often claim to have had a vision from God, but this one was so unexpected and so strong! It is part of the Greek trip, and when I get the rest of my diary entries online I will move it to its correct position, but for now I wanted to put it down.

Quite recently I had a very difficult experience of being helpless in a hospital corridor in Greece while a friend of mine was very ill. It was 4am and I was lost and alone and not even allowed in her room. I wanted someone to pray with me for her, and first I wanted my online CHFWeb friends (no internet access) then I wanted my church minister and friends (no mobile) then I wanted a chapel to pray in (couldn't leave) or at least some prayer beads to help me concentrate (didn't have any).

So I closed my eyes and prayed anyway and I had a strong sense of the presence of God saying "Why did you think you needed those things? I promised to listen to you, just you, because I love you and you are my child. You don't need to be in a church, or to have a saint or icon to pray to, or to have friends around or beads to count. I am here with you, and that's all you need." It was such a contrast to all the very elaborate churches and icons we have been seeing over the last few days, I suddenly felt so free, so unencumbered, that I don't need any of that because of the amazing privilege of being able to come directly before God. Amazing work of Jesus to make it so!

My other strong impression we of Jesus being right beside me, praying with me. I had been all prepared to kneel before the throne, to hammer on the doors of heaven, to plead my friend's case before God - all fairly confrontational images of prayer, as I realized later.

But right there in the hospital corridor, as I closed my eyes and prayed, I felt the presence of Jesus beside me, also weary and grieved for my friend's pain, also grieved about suffering and illness, also worried for her and wanting her good. He was there in shorts and sandals, unshaven, with his head in his hands, fingers slwoly massing his temples through his curly brown hair, sorrowful as he was for Lazarus' illness and death.

I realized then how much Jesus cares for our suffering and illness, regardless of the bigger questions about why God allows suffering and does God answer prayer. Jesus was there and Jesus cares. Where is Jesus when it hurts? He is here in us as we are hurting, not in the "it" which is hurting us.

God loves us, more than we realize!