Approaching Jesus

“So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” Hebrews 4: 16

The greatest desire of God is that we would be able to come to Him. He desires to be in union with us, in a relationship of love and intimacy with us. And He has done everything in order to make Himself accessible and approachable to us. He does not want us to be afraid of or intimidated by Him. He wants us to search for Him, to reach for Him, to come to Him. And so He first came to us—not on a cloud of glory, but by taking on our frail, human flesh. By becoming one of us. So to experience our temptations, our joys, our sorrows, our anger, our questioning hearts.

And Jesus came to us not a full-grown man, but as a tiny, helpless baby. He allowed Himself to be raised by His own creatures. He had to be fed, to have His diaper changed, to be taught how to speak and eat and walk. What is more approachable then an infant?

As He began His ministry He went to the people. He did not wait for everyone to come to Him. He travelled all over the Holy Land, spreading the Good News. He was most comfortable with the outcast, the poor, lepers, sinners, the broken, the weak. He sought out tax collectors and adulterers. He ate with those rejected by others. He welcomed children.

In the end He offered all that He could for us on the cross. He took the ultimate risk of love by loving us to the point of death. He offered His life for us with the full knowledge that so many would reject His sacrifice. And yet He humbled Himself to take all of the risk, to take the first step, to reach out to us—to show us not only by His words, but by His actions that nothing was more important to Him then loving us and having us share in His love. He is approachable because He takes all of the rejection while never rejecting us for any reason. We risk and lose NOTHING by accepting His love, by coming to Him, by giving Him our lives.

And even today, after 2,000 years, He still comes to us in humility, hidden behind the cloaks of bread and wine. Coming to us in the Eucharist, not in all of His glory. Because we could not handle His glory. He knows we would be afraid of His glory because of our sin. And out of His great and crazy love, He comes to us in such a simple, unpretentious manner, so that we can approach Him.

Jesus wants nothing more than for you and I to know Him and experience His love for us. He has done and continues to do EVERYTHING to make Himself approachable. On the last day, we will be judged for whether or not we approached Him who has made Himself approachable in all ways!

Dear Jesus, give me the grace to see You as You really are. I desire to be one with You all the days of my life. May I confidently approach You at every moment, sure of Your love for me. Amen.