August 10

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. — Matt 28:5 BSB

Whatever our state or condition, if it can truly be said of us what the angel said to the women at the tomb, “I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified,” then we have a divine promise that he has “gone before us into Galilee. There we shall see him.” He is risen; he has ascended on high and “received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them.” He now sits on the mercy seat, inviting and drawing needy sinners to himself. He says, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He allows us, he invites us to pour out our hearts before him, to bring our troubles to him, just as Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord in the temple. If we seek communion with him, we may and should tell him how deeply we need him, that without him, life has no meaning, and with him, even death holds no fear. We should beg him to heal our backslidings, to manifest his love and blood to our conscience, to reveal the evil of sin, and to bless us with godly sorrow for our slips and falls.

We should ask him to keep us from evil so that it may not grieve us, to lead us into his truth, to preserve us from error, and to plant his fear deep in our hearts. We should pray that he applies some precious promise to our souls, watches over us in all our ways, keeps us from pride, self-deception, and self-righteousness, and gives us renewed assurance of our saving interest in his finished work. We should plead for him to subdue our iniquities, make and keep our consciences tender, and work in us everything that is pleasing in his sight.

What is communion but the mutual giving and receiving of hearts—the flowing together of two wills, the exchange of two loves? Each party retains its identity, but each becomes the object of affection and delight for the other. Do we have nothing to give to Christ? Yes, we can give him our sins, sorrows, burdens, trials, and above all, the salvation and sanctification of our souls. And what does he have to give us? Everything worth having, everything that matters for time and eternity.