I'm sitting ten feet from Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, very near to Him. "You, O Lord, are near" (Ps 119:151). In Old Testament times, the Lord said to Moses, "Come no nearer" (Ex 3:5). To draw near God was to risk death (see Ex 24:2; Nm 1:51). Yet even in pre-Christian days, God was drawing His people close. "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him" (Ps 145:18). The psalmist could say: "To be near God is my good" (Ps 73:28).
Jesus came to earth and people could touch, see, and hear Him (1 Jn 1:1). He came to dwell among His people, to live among us (Jn 1:14). Yet even that proximity was not near enough for the Lord. He came even nearer to us in the Eucharist, to dwell within us (Jn 6:56; 17:23).
Perhaps we have grown accustomed to God's nearness. We have a great need for the fear of the Lord (Is 11:2), so we can learn how to be close to the Lord without losing the awe of being in His presence. The prophet Isaiah warned: "This people draws near with words only and honors Me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from Me" (Is 29:13; Mk 7:6).
Some may say that they feel God is far from them and does not care. However, if anyone has moved, it was not God (see Ps 139:7-10). Possibly those thoughts arise because the person has moved away from God. If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (Jas 4:8, RNAB). "Draw near to God" (Heb 7:19).
| PRAYER: | Jesus, You came to call those near and far (Eph 2:17). Bring me near to You through Your blood (Eph 2:13). "Draw me!" (Sg 1:4) |
| PROMISE: | "Hear the statutes and decrees...that you may live." –Dt 4:1 |
| PRAISE: | Praise Jesus, "the Resurrection and the Life" (Jn 11:25)! |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College