There once was a Messiah who stood on a hilltop and saw a crowd clamoring toward him who just wanted to see miraculous wonders.

And He loved them despite their selfish motives, and said, “How can we feed them?”

There once was a Messiah who saw his followers straining at the oars on a stormy lake, afraid of what they did not know.

And He gave them His presence to calm their fears, saying, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

There once was a Messiah who saw the never-ending physical needs of the people in front of him, always demanding for more.

And He gave them what they didn’t know they needed – the Bread of Life and the Living Water to eternally satisfy their restless souls.

There once was a Messiah who encountered paralysis, blindness, adultery, corpses, and unbelief.

And in every situation, He showed His compassion and His sovereign control over every part of life and death.

There once was a Messiah who ate with His disciples and then tied a towel around his waist and knelt down before their smelly, dirty feet.

And He washed them with humility and love – because He knew what purpose He was to fulfill in this world.

There once was a Messiah who walked daily with his traitor – the one he knew would betray him, the one he knew would love money and power more than him, the one he knew would fall away.

And He never once lashed out at him or tried to stop him. He simply loved him, calling him “friend” to the end.

There once was a Messiah who knew that the greatest gift of love would be to stretch out his arms on a rough, wooden criminal’s cross and whisper, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

And the world would be given the greatest gift – the only gift that will change a life – through the sacrifice of God become Man.

The most hopeful part of this story? It’s not just that “there once was a Messiah” – it’s that there still is a Messiah, and He is still all of those things today, just as He was when He walked this earth two thousand years ago.

He still cares for our brokenness and hurt and fear in the same way as He did in the pages of Scripture. He still loves us unconditionally no matter what we do, just as He did when he was betrayed with a traitor’s kiss. He still bears our burdens, gives us eternal satisfaction in Himself, and guides us in the way of truth.

Our Messiah is always with us. We just get distracted from His presence sometimes by the maddening chaos of the world around us. But when we stop and drench ourselves in His Word, the reminder of who He is comes back in full clarity.

He is Messiah – the only one who can save us – the only one who can fully comfort us – the only one who can truly satisfy us – the only one who can give us all hope. And He never changes.

In GOD we trust, not in human efforts. For as He promised,

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

If our Messiah is fighting for us, we have no need for fear – only for eternal hope.