Welcome to Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri–a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.
PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined Identity Matters. This week we will examine Come here. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”
PROMISE: Matthew 11:28-29 Amplified Bible
Matthew 11:28-29 Amplified
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.
We have an inevitable invitation to come to Jesus. He beckons us. The outcome is rest.
PSALM: Just as I am 1835
Charlotte Eliott (1789-1871)
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy Blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God I come I come
Charlotte experienced days of uselessness and loneliness as she lived out an illness that left her disabled. Though she sometimes battled depression, she knew to come to Jesus just as she was when she experienced the darkest nights of her soul.
PARABLE: I can still see the vivid image of my arms reached out to my daughter beckoning her to come and to take her first step into my arms. As a baby born prematurely with a heart condition and severe asthma, I was unwilling to do anything but carry her. One day my husband challenged me and suggested that I had to stop carrying her and to let her walk in order to let her grow. While I knew his guidance was correct, it took several weeks for me to begin to try out his wisdom. I was afraid that she might fall and hurt herself. I was afraid that she may have an asthma attack. Most truly, I was afraid to not be in control of her safety.
Finally, I was convinced to place our daughter on a VERY padded blanket, stretch my arms out, and whisper “come here.” It took a few tries but within minutes with a grin of accomplishment on her face, she was waddling over to my outstretched arms. She was not afraid. She knew I was attentive to her safety and that she could rely on me to pick her up if she feel down. She knew how to get to me all along, she was just waiting for an invitation for me to let her come.
This imagery of outstretched hands and a waddling infant taking their first steps reminds me of the promise and invitation of Jesus that invites us to come to Him and He will give us rest. This is not a condition-based invitation, all we need to do is respond to Jesus pleas for us to come here, just as I am. There is no expectation that we come in a particular manner. We can come when we don’t feel good enough. We can come when we feel haughty. We can come when we are afraid. We can come when we are full of courage. We can come when we feel undeserving. We can come when we feel entitled. Jesus is not concerned about how we come. He wants us to come just as we are, no judgement, and no desire to change how we feel in that moment. His saving blood has made a pallet of love, mercy and grace that will catch us when we fall. We can come to Him, especially when we are weary but even we are not and we will find rest.
Soul care training exercise: Some areas of life are easier to trust God than in others. God’s name is trust. Take a moment and turn your attention to coming to Jesus. Ponder the question What am I bringing with me today as I come to Jesus? Reflect and let the Holy Spirit reveal to you what God wants to reveal to you about the condition in which you are coming to Jesus.
Notice without judgment and with a curious awareness of what comes to your mind. Invite God into your sanctified imagination. Ask Him to bring to your attention what He wants you to know.
- Next scan your mind and notice what the Holy Spirit is sharing that you need to know, hear, or do as you come to Jesus just as you are in this moment. Expand your thoughts, it may be something you never heard told this way before.
- Finally, Focus on what you see and hear. With a breath of thanksgiving, breathe in, breathe out, and rest in the arms of Jesus.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank you that like a little child, I can run to you. Your arms are always outstretched. You will catch me when I stumble. You do not require any conditions of me to come. Your invitation is unending and unconditional. Thank you for your fulfilled promise of rest. In the loving name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to praise God for His invitation to come and His promise to find rest. Then take the mindfulness of Jesus’ Presence in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.
Until next time, be Resonant.
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Take five minutes Bonus Guided Meditation Come and Rest.
Image attributions: Text art app with words added
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