Hitchhiker’s bLOG (Revisited) – 2021.07.07

You just never know who you will find in a dark place!

Originally Published 2019.10.21

So I went into an upstairs closet at the church looking for something. It’s one of those old out-of-the-way attic-smelling Sunday school closets with no light switch. It does have a light, one of those wall-mounted types with a pull chain. You know the type; they usually show up in horror movies. I turned to my left and reached out with my right hand to pull the chain. When the light came on, I found myself standing face to face with Jesus. Yes, there he was, greeting me with a big old smile in this remote smelly old place.

**The actual picture of “Closet Jesus**”

My first reaction was to cleverly exclaim out loud for nobody else to hear a hybrid of a famous Dirty Dancing quote:

“Nobody puts Jesus in a closet!”

But once I got over myself, I began to think that this is a metaphor for exactly where you want and need Jesus. Don’t you want Jesus to be with you when you enter the dark places of your life? Don’t you want Jesus to be with you in those difficult situations you find yourself in? Don’t you want Jesus to be right there with you when you are lost and don’t know what you are looking for?

I found 42 in a closet!

Now I am sure Jesus looks more Palestinian than a smiling American Hipster (or my nephew), and I doubt he has blue eyes. But I bet he has a million-dollar smile, one of those smiles that melts your heart and comforts you even when you say something stupid like, “nobody puts Jesus in a closet.”

My friends, don’t be surprised at where Jesus turns up in your life. Be on the lookout for him. Seek him out!