This morning, the thought crossed my mind that if I have done anything “right” in following Jesus (which is in itself by the grace of God) I have always believed I needed to come to Him, physically as well as spiritually, rather than expecting Him to come to me.
This sounds really simple, because it is.
This looks like a daily quiet time of reading the Word, praying, sometimes journaling, and very often singing His praise and my surrender. I meditate on Scripture and pray it over people. I go to Him in prayer about my problems and continue to learn to trust Him, whether I feel like I have answers or next steps or not. Just time with Him is enough. I’m coming close to draw from His life and perspective of life. My conversations almost always lead to the Lord and how people are growing in His love and acceptance.
But coming close to Him is more than daily choices like these, it is also a posture of the heart–For example, coming close looks like not being cynical when I am given the opportunity to participate in different worship styles or creative worship ideas such as nailing a post-it note with my sin written on it to a big wooden cross or asking Jesus for miraculous healing or, like last week, going to a “revival” knowing full well that the same Jesus-power at Asbury was also at home in my prayer closet. If I can come to Him in these ways, I absolutely will.
I am simply not afraid or embarrassed to believe, ask, enjoy His presence, forget myself, and be a little ridiculous. When it comes to Jesus, I never really know for sure how He is going to show up! But He says to come near. He says to ask. Through time with Him, we begin to share a mind with Him, share a heart with Him. Is there any greater thing? Life with Him is a treasure hunt…We are the seeker.
He has already come near to us, He has already sought us, by sending Jesus and then by sending the Spirit to dwell in every believer. But sometimes we think He is supposed to do more and more and more to get a hold of us! By His kind grace, He does. He seeks us like the lost coin, the prodigal son! But He also tells us to COME TO HIM.
If you want more, come more.
I think of the act of walking down the aisle to pray with a ministry team, and I know my church doesn’t do that anymore as part of the service. For awhile, I thought that was cool because “why make people uncomfortable?” But I feel now like the step of faith of coming down the aisle matters. Hopefully people are doing that, in just a different way, like in small group settings or taking the risk of calling someone to meet for prayer.
As a believer for over 30 years now, I walked down an aisle at a service to receive prayer last week and that was an act of humility, and it was so so good. God blessed it. Could I have prayed alone? Sure. But it required radical humility to step out and God gives grace to the humble.
So…Yes…It matters.
Getting out of our seats to go up and take communion.
Bringing a friend with you to your knees.
Going to God every day with open hands and open Bible when no one else but He knows.
A posture of the heart and body that says “I don’t demand from God; I come to His altar to connect with Him.”
Is your inner and outer life hard enough to where you need Him every hour? Mine is. If it wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t come to Him like I do. So praise the Lord for the constant need!
Come just as you are. The best words!
The reason I am writing about this today, so boldly even, is that after having this incredibly random thought, my Bible reading for today held these two passages:
Leviticus 10:3
“Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when he said,
‘I will display my holiness
through those who come near me.
I will display my glory
before all the people.’””
Psalm 65:2-4
“All of us must come to you.
3Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
you forgive them all.
4What joy for those you choose to bring near,
those who live in your holy courts.
What festivities await us
inside your holy Temple.”
Lord, thank You for allowing us to come near. You are good and Your love endures forever!
