Thursday, March 6, 2014

Jesus Wants You

"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted" (Mark 3:13, NIV).

I almost overlooked it.

He wanted them. Yes, Jesus chose them, but He wanted them. Every last one of them, including Judas.

Mark tells us that He appointed them so they could be with him (verse 14, italics mine).

He wanted their company. He wanted to teach them. He wanted to send them out to preach good news and to have authority to drive out demons. He wanted each one, and their names are recorded in the Scripture.

Jesus' desire to have these men spend time with Him was so they could experience, not merely teachings about God, but God in flesh. He would reveal Himself through miracles, teaching, disappointment, grief, and triumphs. There was no way to know what they would discover: awe, confusion, suffering, and joy. At the time of their call, they had already encountered Jesus as the compassionate healer and the authoritative rabbi. Their years with Him would expand their pebble ideas of God into wondrous mountain ranges.

Encouraging, isn't it, that Jesus also calls us to Himself. He wants us to bring His Kingdom near through His presence in us. But more than that, He wants to reside in us,  express His love and delight in us, and make us one with God. Eventually, as we give ourselves to God's purposes, we discover that in all turns of life, God is working to etch Christ Jesus in and through us.

Oh, dear Lord, thank you for wanting me. Thank you for calling me to spend time with You, and for giving Yourself to me so completely!

For Your Consideration

Reflect on your life. Why does Jesus want you to spend time with Him?

What key lessons has Jesus taught you in recent years about (a) His love for you, and (b) your part in letting Him love people through you?

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