Come, Jesus, come…

Or should I say: you have to come… to Jesus… messy.

You can not wait until everything calms down. Or when you think there’s a lull. And then it really isn’t so you keep plowing ahead telling Jesus, “Soon!” Soon - I will have time. Soon I will be presentable. Not so harried looking. Not so distracted. Not juggling so many things. When things calm down, Lord, we will have a nice visit and I will be able to praise You as I should. Just give me a chance to clear my schedule. And fix a few things before I come before You. I want to look nice and feel good and be fully ready for a nice visit. I don’t want to burden You with any complaints or grumbling. No. That’s not the way to treat someone as special as You. Let me just clear a few things up and I will come with a happy face to make You smile and be pleased with me. I want to look nice for You. I’ll just finish up today’s to-do list and by this evening, I will have a clear mind and some spare time for prayer.

Sound familiar?

And we know what usually happens, right? We fall asleep after working so hard to make everything happen smoothly and successfully and… done. 

Oh, my dear child, says the Lord. I’ll take you any way I can get you. Scruffy. Whiny. Distressed. Scrambled. Sit with Me in the midst of all of that and I will make a place for peace. A time for breath and sighing and releasing all that heavy burden you carry. A real rest. Come. Now. As you are. Empty. Or too full of other things. Off kilter. Or grasping. Whatever it is. Wherever your head is at - I can make space for something better. But you must come to Me. You must let Me in…

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy (Hymn by Joseph Hart, 1712)

 

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, 
weak and wounded, sick and sore; 
Jesus ready stands to save you, 
full of pity, love, and pow'r. 

2 Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
true belief and true repentance,
every grace that brings you nigh.

3 Let not conscience make you linger, 
nor of fitness fondly dream; 
all the fitness He requireth 
is to feel your need of Him. 

4 Come, ye weary, heavy laden, 
lost and ruined by the fall; 
if you tarry till you're better, 
you will never come at all. 

5 Lo! th'incarnate God, ascended, 
pleads the merit of His blood; 
venture on Him, venture wholly; 
let no other trust intrude.