What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms! Hymn

I’ve been able to visit with members of my family via Zoom meetings several times now. What an amazing blessing this has been for Dan and me. My brother and his three kids are in New York, Lisa is in Salt Lake, Chris in Coeur D’Alene and Laura now in Boise. During normal, non isolated times (remember those just a few months ago?) it was not easy to get together, never mind now when there are restrictions on travel. So here we are in our little corner of the world chatting with one another as if we lived next door. Technology does have its plus side.

During our Mother’s Day meeting, I noticed my two grand daughters, now teens, who were snuggled up to their mother. Lisa sat between them but the girls were pressed closely against her, one with an arm draped across Lisa’s shoulder. It was such a sweet picture of how secure, comforted and protected the girls felt. If I knew how I would have taken a photo to preserve the memory.

It reminds me of two incidents in Jesus’ life. In the first as told in Luke 10:38-42 Jesus was visiting with his friends in Bethany. As he sat teaching, Mary sat at his feet listening instead of helping Martha with the work. I can imagine the moment. Jesus sits on cushions as was the custom. Mary presses herself to Him near His feet, perhaps even closer than most of us would see as comfortable or appropriate, She doesn’t just look up into His face but examines every one of his beautiful features and hangs on to every word. The woman was unabashedly lovesick.

When Martha complained to the Lord about Mary, Jesus responded to her. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Jesus chided Martha for being too busy and gently reminded her that Mary chose the one thing that mattered most to Him – her devotion.

In the second case, Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples and had just revealed that one of the them betrayed Him. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, reclined at his side. Some versions say that John leaned against Jesus’ breast and was closest to Him at the table. Like Mary, John got especially close to the Lord. Jesus welcomed Him into His personal space as He welcomed even the beggars and the lepers.

When we accept Jesus as “our personal Savior” we’re invited into this special intimacy with Him. As God, He already knew us before we were born, when we were in our mother’s womb and all our days written in God’s book. As Savior, Jesus wants our whole being to get womb like close, to feel protected, loved and cared by Him. He who already knows how many hairs we have on our head is not distant or uncaring. He is the God of the living and our lives are so precious to Him, that He endured the agony of the cross to save us and bring us personally home.

This is no far off, abstract deity or tribal warlord we serve, but a face to face Redeemer. Look at Mary. Remember John. They knew Jesus which in the Biblical sense means holy intimacy like husbands and wives share. Have you accepted Christ personally like that? Did you once but now have forgotten the joy and privilege of leaning on Jesus’ breast? He still calls. Come to me. Take my yoke upon you for I am meek and humble of heart. Lean into me as much as you desire, as much as Mary and John did. Take the better part.