“Come here!” My Latin Husband used to say when we were newlyweds, married. Generally, his arms were wide open and his disposition was kind and welcoming.
Yet, as the stubborn Norwegian-Irish, twenty-something, I would refuse, tilt my head up and insist, “No, YOU come HERE.”
I know now, my non-submissive heart was wrong. However, I had seen the whole wife-submission-thing go wrong, and I wasn’t about to be commanded by anyone…compromising my worth or identity.
Still, relationships in stale-mates and stand-offs never go well.
It didn’t take long until my husband respected my fiesty spirit, understood and began instead, gently inviting me in a new way. He’d attentively say, “O.k. then, meet me half-way.”
He took one step forward me. Then hesitantly, I’d reciprocate….taking one step forward, towards him.
We repeated this kind of funny dance, until we both were a few feet a part, in the middle of the room, hugging like two stubborn teenagers refusing to cave to the love we’d both committed to.
“Meet me half way”, kind of became the mantra for our relationship for years and years to come.
If my husband and I had an arguement, were tired or despondent, the other one would smile with eyes inviting, stretch both arms out wide, then beckon me lovingly, “Meet me half way?”
In the middle, we’d embrace. There, at the place of mutual respect, we found so much healing, reconciliation and acceptance. It was there we both felt known, seen and appreciated.
The Dance
The other morning I woke. My mind started scanning through the people who approached Jesus in the Bible; children, the Centurian, Simeon when Jesus was an infant…
But then, I kept thinking. And most didn’t just encounter Jesus independently. Often times, there was this kind of dance, Jesus meeting people half-way.
Jesus stepped forward and then needy people reached outward. Finally, Jesus rewarded these seekers with healing and some kind of assurance that He was the Son of God.
Yes, Jesus occassionally, just randomly encountered some people; (i.e. the demon possessed man, Paul, John the Baptist, the two men going to Emmaus, talking about Jesus)
But most often, in Scripture, there was this sort of, mutually agreed upon, dance.
Jesus came to people’s towns, people cried out, expressed a need, and then they were lifted through a ceiling (Mark 2) or climbed a tree to try to get near Jesus. (Luke 19-1-10)
It was in close encounters with this man of Galilea, Jesus “met people half way”, reciprocated and approached people likewise, for relationship.
Yet, I think it can be easy in todays world to just sit home, don’t go to church, let our Bible’s collect dust, and never converse with any other Christians…
And then, when self-pity emerges, we just pitifully assume, God doesn’t love us.
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, “If Jesus wants a relationship with me, He knows where to find me.”
Yet, God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:35) He’s not a forceful tyrant, violating our space or pushing himself into places He’s not wanted or invited.
He comes through the door of our homes and our hearts (John 10) because we have welcomed Him willingly.
He is a gentleman who gets into close proximity and then stops and waits patiently to see if we are hungry, wanting, or needing of Him in return.
Is our spirit open to what He is doing? Will we pursue Him intentionally for sought-out relationship? Are we willing to approach Him, meet Him half way?
Matthew
I open to the book of Matthew this morning. There, a former tax collector pours out his heart about what it looks like to follow Jesus; humbly, sacrificially, rid of worldly pursuits and it’s desires for money, lust, esteem or recognition.
I see a man transformed by the power of a living God. Once, one of the most despised amongst the
Jewish, robbing people from their pocket-books, idolizing and seeking only what the world assets…
But now? Here in Scripture? Matthew rests willfully in submission to God, following Jesus for three-and-a-half years.
Don’t believe me? Open the book of Matthew and read it in it’s entirety. See if you can find any speck of worldliness in this Gospels penned by a man that looks nothing like the once greedy solicitor that used to monopolize the poor of his day.
And if God can change a man from worldly driven to Jesus submissive…He can change us to?
If God can take someones thoughts, intentions, purposes and pursuits and shift them to only desire the face and calling of Jesus? He is a Savior worth pursuing…
A God worth, “meeting half way”.
Mary
I see a woman who gave herself away. She bowed and bent until any small form of identity was lost. She became nothing, less than a doormat. Every ounce of self-respect was sold for the basics, including money.
Her body was given away for a few coins, or taken for exploitation. She had nothing but broken dreams.
But then, He came. He drew near. And she stepped forward. It was there they came together, and Jesus miraculously healed her.
There, light met darkness. And every evil sin chosen or forced upon her cowered in their defeat. Evil fled like ragging beasts, leaving a woman emptied of every sin and open to the love of God.
Mary Magdeline finally stopped looking for love in someone else. She, at that moment, found what she’d always been needing, Jesus.
This all-consuming love overtook her and she was never the same again. The light of His goodness set Mary completely free.
Freedom from this World
Friends, do you know, Jesus can set you free? You don’t need to be held captive by money or power, materialism, sin or the need to be seen.
Jesus came and conquered death. He hung upon a cross, perfect, yet lifted up, so that we might approach His throne-room with confidence and boldness. (Hebrews 4:16)
His death and resurrection offers us free access to meet Jesus, “half way.”
He longs that we might draw close, be humble enough to recognize, we are not perfect. He comes closest to those who are weak and helpless, desperate and dependent not on themselves.
Are you self-sufficient, independent, sick of the things you’ve been clinging to? Do you need to take just one step closer to Jesus today?
Or, do you think you’re too far gone? That God might reject you? Do you fear feeling stripped of all power and purpose if you approach His humble presence?
Matthew tells us, most of us don’t just stubbornly or knowingly, reject God. It’s more like a slippery slope. We focus on money or power or ourselves and then slowly these things entangle us.
Before we know it, pride convinces us, we can handle things ourselves.
Until eventually we become unknowingly mastered and enslaved by what we use to replace Jesus.
Pretty soon, all of the world has caught us in it’s snare. The solution? Approach Jesus. Meet Him halfway.
Friends, “to pray” is to come to a quiet place and there bravely, “move in the direction of God”.
To pray is to “meet Jesus halfway”.
It is both a noun and a verse. It is the meeting, encountering, and drawing near to The One who can take away every fear, rid us of all anxiety and give us a peace that’s near.
Let’s commit in this season to drawing near to Him.
He stands there, with his hands out, welcoming you into relationship. Will you draw near to Him? Will step out in faith and meet Him half way?
“Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you.” ~ James 4:8
“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” ~ Hebrews 4:16 amp.
