And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32.

Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties. Psalm 139:23. 

I read each of the above Scripture verses this morning after reading our chapter, Psalm 16. I was struck by what it must have been like to be an early disciple of Jesus, God made flesh and with us. The Pharisees were the religious authority of their day and yet Jesus wasn’t sitting with them in their enclaves of ordered systems of strict worship. He was reclining at the ordinary tables of the people and sharing a meal and conversation with them…not at them. Can you imagine the hope and the worry? Everything was new and changing and yet – here they were sitting at table with Jesus and eating and getting to know Him.  Before when their ancestors had interacted with God, the encounters were concentrated and specific. This was different! With God, it’s always different and unique! I kept thinking about that as I sat and watched the beauty of the new day unfolding in the sky graced with new gold shimmering in the clouds. How can I not draw near to God on mornings such as this and not feel joy in His presence? He created and sustains all the beauty that speaks to my heart and I love sharing that with Him. 

David knew that closeness with Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. That closeness imbued David with a knowing deep in his soul. Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge…You alone are my portion and my cup…You make my lot secure…The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance…v. 1, 5, 6. And how can we read this prophetic Scripture of David’s and not know he is understanding something eternal yet to be…Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. v. 9, 10. Jesus, God’s Faithful Servant. And David’s soul-deep understanding? You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. v. 11. David knew something deep in his soul. God’s Presence with us brings us a joy unlike anything else ever could. God’s love gladdens our spirit with joy and He shares that with us and it is so good. Open your eyes and your heart to receive all that God has for you. He is here. His love comforts. He strengthens us when we are undone and weary. His hope lifts us when we are in doubt and despair. When we need Him, He draws near. He came to be near to us sharing in our ordinary daily moments because He created this life we live and the moments we savor with Him. The Pharisees couldn’t understand that God. I can only imagine the disciples, that early on in their relationship with Jesus, could only hang on and be in awe. How about us? Can we understand that God?