“As you come to Jesus—a living stone rejected by men, but chosen and precious in God’s sight—you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Pet.2:4-5)
Dear Lord Jesus, the question, “Have you come to Jesus?” remains the most critical, glorious, and grace-filled question for any of us to answer. Formerly relegated to our initial salvation experience, I now realize “coming to Jesus” describes the whole of the Christian life. Until the Day you glorify us, we will never not need you, Jesus. We are that needy, and you are that generous.
But better than simply needing you, Jesus, growth in grace is growth in our joy, awe, and delight in you. The spiritual sacrifices we offer to you and through you are marked by grateful praise, Gospel astonishment, and affectionate adoration. The more precious you become to us, Jesus, the more we watch our shame melt away and our self-preoccupation shrink. The freer we become, the deeper our peace grows, and the more we delight to go with you into your commitment to make all things new.
The more time we spend in rich fellowship and heart communion with you, Jesus, the less we look to people to fill the Jesus-shaped vacuum in our hearts. How many times are we going to have to return to Gospel-summer-school to be convinced that people make lousy Jesus-substitutes? We’re ready (or at least desirous) to graduate from that “class,” Jesus!
Indeed, the better we know you, the more we understand why the Apostle Paul said departing from this world to the next would be “better by far” (Phil.1:23), Not merely to exit this mess, but to know and enjoy more of you, Jesus, than we possibly can in this life. Hallelujah, and So Very Amen.
