Imust distinguish between my union with Christ, which is secure, and my communion with Christ, which is extremely fragile. I must not delude myself into thinking that while my relationship to Christ is secure, so is my awareness of His presence and power. There are things I can lose.
I can lose the presence and power of Christ as easily as Mary and Joseph lost Him in the caravan returning home from Jerusalem (Luke 2:41– 49). By neglecting Him I can allow the weeds to grow in our relationship, choking out the fruits of a close, sweet walk with Him. Neglect needs no overt action, no sharp disobedience, just a dulling of the finely tuned relationship we once had. Then He is gone!
Or I can lose Him as Mary Magdalene lost Him, in the mad chain of circumstances that led Him to His death on the cross. The swirling turn of events that snatched Him from her was beyond her understanding, but her loss was just as real and as painful. So God can send a series of devastating losses into my life, involving friends, loved ones, opportunities, or whatever. If I turn my attention to my losses and take my eyes off Him, I will lose Him in the flow.
I can also lose Him by my sin and indifference, and hear Him say, “Your sin and iniquities have separated … you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2, NSRB). Of all the reasons for losing Christ, that is the most reprehensible, because it indicates a deliberate evaluation and a choice: I want sin, not Jesus. If I choose sin, Jesus withdraws and I am left only with my immoral choice.
Thank You, God, that You will never be untouched by my tears of repentance; “a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17). You quickly restore the “joy of thy salvation” (v. 12).
“Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited me by night; Thou hast tested me and dost find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress” (Psalm 17:3).
Daily with the King 