Hung up on ourselves... or Him?

It is awfully easy to get really hung up on us. After all, we look at ourselves in the mirror on a daily basis... and usually admire what we see (whether we admit it or not). We groom ourselves, dress ourselves, quaff ourselves and on and on it goes. All of this is to impress those whom we currently do not know or to maintain an impression with those that we do know.

It simply would not do to let the people in our lives see through to the "real me" that lies beneath. However, it is exactly that "real me" that Jesus wants to see. In fact, He doesn't just want to SEE us the way we are. He wants to KNOW us the way we really are. He wants to interact with us as we really are and have us interact with Him on the same terms.

This is where we get ourselves in trouble. You see, most of us do not want to admit that we are really as bad as we know we are. We do not want to face ourselves that way, much less have anyone else face us that way. Certainly, if Jesus saw us as we really are, He would not, in fact He COULD not accept, love or forgive us. We know that we are really that bad, but we don't want to admit it even to ourselves.

Jesus tells us that we should come to Him with all of our troubles and all of our burdens and He will give us rest. Let us imagine for a moment that we can actually play a nasty trick on Him, that we can actually come to Him as we want to be seen and known. That we can come to Him without all of our baggage.

Now, in that condition, we come and we hear Jesus say, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Where is the rest for us? We have hidden our troubles away. We have buried our burdens somewhere out of sight. We have managed to cover our errors, our mistakes and our sin so that we appear to be acceptable as we are. What good is Jesus' offer to us now? What comfort can He offer us if we have no burden to bring to Him? What strength can He offer us when we are quite capable on our own and burdens are either small and insignificant or non-existent?

My friend, you must come to Jesus just as you really are. Do not dress up for Him or put on makeup to hide the scars, the bruises and the other misshapen features of your real self. Come just as you are and hear His call to you. He says, "Come." That is where the process begins. You will never know the grace, mercy and forgiveness of our Saviour unless you first come.

Do not hesitate to come now. There is a time that is too late. Jesus has said that today is the acceptable time. Tomorrow, as we all know so well, may never come. So, come today, and come quickly. Bring all of your troubles, burdens and shortcomings. Come as you really are, in all of your miserable condition, and do not delay. Jesus has promised life, liberty and peace to those who come. If you remain in your sin, you have only distress, misery and slavery to enjoy. So come to the Master and take His burden in exchange for your own. Accept His mercy and forgiveness and gain the peace and satisfaction that only He can give. 

He died so that you might live. Live for Him not out of some sense of obligation but as though you were voluntarily paying a debt of gratitude for all that He has done. Don't get hung up on you; get hung up on Him. The reward is endless and the love He shares is indescribable.