So near and yet so far

The disciples had a beautiful privilege, and the people who lived with Jesus while he was physically on earth. These people had the opportunity to experience and taste the very presence of the Master; they walked with him, listened to his teachings, experienced his miracles : heal the sick, give sight to the blind, raise the dead. In short, they had the great privilege of seeing God himself incarnate. And among these people was also Judas Iscariot (Matthew 10: 1-4). Yes, Jesus called his disciples, including Judas, to live with him. Judas had the opportunity to be in the very presence of the Master. But despite being there, foot to foot, footprint after footprint, he was so far from him.

We who have responded positively to the Lord's call also have a similar privilege. The privilege of being close to him, or I would rather say, of being in the very presence of the Lord. We can feel his presence, we talk to him, he talks to us, we live daily with the Lord. But despite all this, what happened to Judas may be happening to many of us. Judas was distracted, other things were a priority in his life. His distraction was such that he did not realize that he was living with the creator of the universe, with God himself.

Sometimes it becomes a vicious routine for us to work in the Lord's business, we like to do it and we delight, but at times we forget who we are doing it for, and the true meaning of what we are doing. Sometimes we delight ourselves so much with the exaltation and admiration that others give us that we lose focus, and the distraction is so great that we do not feel the Lord close by, we do not feel his tenderness, his incomparable love, those things that can only be experienced being in the very presence of the Master. Judas was drawn to everything about Jesus, in such a way that he followed him and liked him, and even had the 'first seats' - so to speak - with Jesus. But he got distracted, drifting away so subtly that it was too late when he realized it and wanted to repent.

On one occasion the Lord Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees “This people with their lips honors me; but his heart is far from me ”(Matthew 15: 8). The Lord said this with pain and discontent, because he wanted them to understand the importance and benefits of being intimately involved with him. Our heart must be impregnated with the heart of the Lord, feeling its beats. He doesn't want us distracted.

Let's fight not to blur what we do and who we do it for. We have to have passion and despair for the Lord, live for him and for him. Let's not lose this great blessing.

God bless us and may the Lord that if in some way we feel that other things occupy the space of the Lord in our hearts, that we can realize it in time, and ask the Lord to always help us to be intimately connected to him. Let us ask the Lord that we never leave his presence, not even for an instant.