Is something missing? I have felt that way thousands of times. Our Christian faith and experience is about learning to dance in rhythm with the heart-beat of God. Sometimes God just feels a little too far away.
The salvation found in Jesus is not the finish line; rather, it is a divine invitation to experience the nearness of God in our everyday, here and now. Many of us simply don’t know where to begin or how to connect with God on a deeper level.
Volunteering, giving, reading Scripture and prayer are all significant ways to do this very thing- but they aren’t enough. Those who accused and crucified Jesus in the first century were very devoted to their religious routine. They had proximity to God but lacked the necessary vulnerability. Their entire lives were centered around their religion. When God, in human form stood in front of them, rather than worshipping Jesus they rejected him. Has your lifestyle made it convenient to have a Christian-branded version of “you” but an empty, hollow soul?
This isn’t about being ashamed or feeling like where you are in your spiritual journey isn’t good enough. This is about Jesus and the audacious love he has for you. God always responds with a yes when our hearts draw toward him. Always.
Moving from proximity to intimacy with God starts with vulnerability. Your vulnerability with Jesus doesn’t transform everything in the world. It does, however, transform yours. This isn’t easy nor convenient. Life in the Kingdom of God seldom is. This is about the great currency we use to exchange who we pretend to be and who people think we are, with who God created us to be. It is much more than “being you.” Authenticity, without a true glimpse of Jesus, creates a tolerance for the inferior in our lives. Who we are is hidden in Christ (Col. 3:13). Stepping into our identity, and being authentic and vulnerable with God, is about trust. We trust in God’s love for us, and his desire to be close to us, even when we don’t feel like it.
Believing in God is one thing: living intimately with God in a way that is far beyond belief is quite another.
What does vulnerability with God look like? It starts where you are.
How do we cultivate intimacy with Jesus? With a glance. That’s all it took for the one called Legion.
Mark 5:1-13 introduces us to a man whose journey was shaped by severe anxiety, horrific torment, isolation, and the distraction of thousands of voices pulling on his heart. His physical appearance caused him to hide in shame. His emotional state made it impossible to connect with anyone. His soul was imprisoned. He wondered around naked, bleeding, and a threat to society. He screamed day and night. His identity was so lost, he didn’t even remember his name anymore. For years, he lived in quiet desperation. On that day when Jesus came to the shore of Gadara, his longing for intimate connection with God overcame all of the other challenges he faced. How does someone that broken lay aside the baggage to pursue Jesus (vs. 1-2)? It started with a glance. He did not crawl in shame, nor casually walk, but ran to God.
This man had thousands of legitimate excuses as to why he couldn’t begin his sacred chase. In one moment of authentic vulnerability with Jesus, every excuse bowed its knee, and the man learned how tangible God’s love can truly be.
Where and when do you begin experiencing the intimate reality of Jesus in your life? Here and now.
How do you begin your sacred chase and move from proximity to God to intimacy with God? With one glance at Jesus.