Last week, in the midst of that craziest time of the day - cooking dinner, signing school papers, answering homework questions, listening to the latest drama at school, and writing one more event on the already filled calendar - Eric arrived home from work. Normal stuff. However, instead of the usual "I'm home" peck while I kept talking to one of the girls and stirring a pot, he wrapped me in his arms. I wasn't angry with him, but internally I did resist this interruption of the delicate balance of my chaotic activity. He didn't let go and I had a choice - relent or refuse. I chose to remain there and I felt myself actually relax, my frenzy subsided. For a moment, I focused on just being in that moment with him, being in the embrace.
Jesus was matter-of-fact: 'Embrace this God-life. Really embrace and nothing will be too much for you.... Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything. (11:22, 24)
Jesus is asking the same thing from me everyday, every moment, in all my activity and inactivity. Relent. Wrap both my arms, my heart, my mind, and my soul around Him. He even explains a little of what that looks like: "pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large" and "remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive."
"Jesus...demands an extreme response from every one of us. He forces our hand at every turn in the story. This man who throws open the gates of his kingdom to everyone, then warns the most devout insiders that their standing in the kingdom is in jeopardy without fruitfulness, is forever closing down our options. This man who can be weakened by a touch in a crowd on his way to bring a little girl back from the dead is a man you dare not tear your eyes from. (And we haven't yet witnessed the true depths of his restraint of the heights of his power.)
"He is both the rest and the storm, both the victim and the wielder of the flaming sword, and you must accept him or reject him on the basis of both. Either you'll have to kill him or you'll have to crown him. The one thing you can't do is just say, 'What an interesting guy....'
"Please don't try to keep Jesus on the periphery of your life. He cannot remain there. Give yourself to him - center your entire life on him - and let his power reproduce his character in you." (Tim Keller, King's Cross)
With all our beings, let us embrace Him.
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