Withiness

This weekend, my pastor, Jonathan, spoke on "withiness" (with-ee-ness). Yes, he made up the word. But it has an important meaning. The message was about intimacy with Christ and how to get it. Because Paul says "Christ’s love compels us," intimacy with Him is obviously the root of everything else we do in our Christian lives.

I know in my own experience I've often felt like I needed to do all the right things — read my Bible, pray enough, minister to others — to achieve intimacy with Christ. But Scripture paints a different picture — a picture of simply being with Christ — withiness.

The disciples are an example of withiness. When Lazarus became ill, Jesus asked his disciples to go back with him to Judea. "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?" Jesus says, "Um, yeah." And Thomas' response is: "Let us also go, that we may die with him." Regardless of the danger in Judea (where formerly people had tried to stone them), Thomas' commitment to Jesus was so strong that he wanted to be with Him at any cost.

Jonathan went on to talk about the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 where Jesus said: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (emphasis mine).

Jesus already has withiness with us, Jonathan pointed out. All we have to do is decide if we're going to acknowledge it. I think I often forget about withiness with Christ in my pursuit of Christianity. As in the case of Martha and Mary, I'm Martha, busily working, while Mary sits at His feet. This year I would like to really delve into what this "withiness" could entail. How would my life look different from just being with Jesus? How would yours look different?