Lean On Me

Have you ever reread the same text and found something new the second time? It happens to me all the time when I read the Word and it never ceases to surprise me! Recently, it was just two words that practically jumped off the page and formed an instant snapshot. I had never noticed them before, although it’s a part of the Bible I have heard and read many times. So cool!!

What were these two words you ask?….leaned closer…

Okay, how about some context. It’s dinner time during a significant holiday. Jesus and His closest companions are sitting around a low table laid out with the traditional dishes that make up the Passover meal. The conversation is heavy and serious. When Jesus indicates that one of these faithful followers will turn on Him, they are alarmed and incredulous.

John records that one of the disciples seated near Jesus leaned closer to ask a question. Not just any question. It was a weighty and critical query. Who would betray Jesus?

Can you imagine sitting so close to Jesus that you could lean closer to whisper a pressing question into His ear? The intimacy, the “humanness”, the sweetness of that moment…

What compelling questions would I privately ask Jesus if given the chance?

I can almost feel Him taking my weight as I lean in to seek clarity for consequential decisions or to pose any of a myriad of questions beginning with “why…?”. I sense the nearness of His person, so close I can smell the dust on his clothes. I wonder if that disciple truly appreciated the tender privilege He enjoyed.

When news unnerves you, when your life gets upended, when decisions loom large, … these are the times to lean closer to the One who is always at your side.