CLOSE TO JESUS

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/03/23

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:25-27).

To understand the significance of this statement from the cross, it is important to look back at a statement Jesus made when He was with His disciples before His arrest. The Lord said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me” (Matthew 26:31). And sure enough, by the time we get to Matthew 26:56, we read that they all deserted Him and fled, including John.

But then at the time of Jesus’ trial, John shows up again; he’s the only disciple who does. John could not stay away from his beloved Lord. John alone came back to the cross.

John always referred to himself as the disciple who was closest to Jesus, whom Jesus loved. Some may ask, “Did Jesus really have favorites?” Absolutely not. The reason John was close to Jesus was because John wanted to be close to Jesus. You can be as close to Jesus as you want to be.

James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” When you desire to be close to Jesus more than anything else in the world, Jesus will draw closer to you than anyone you have ever known. His nearness will be more fulfilling than anything you have ever experienced.

Prayer: God, I want to be close to You today. Help me to spend more time with You so that I can know You more. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:28).