Do you ever imagine what it would have been like to be one of the twelve accompanying Jesus for three years? He was their Teacher – the One they followed and listened to. They lived with Him and traveled with Him. They surely got very close to Him – the Son of God – and a familiarity must have developed as among friends. But the old phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” would have never been appropriate for this relationship because there was nothing to dislike about Jesus.
Is it possible for us to become too familiar with Jesus? No, I’m not talking about growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and drawing closer intellectually and spiritually. I’m talking about reducing the Christ to such a human level that we treat Him like some palsy-walsy friend. I think the Lord’s disciples received many warnings to prevent this and maybe we need to remember those reminders in Scripture.
One of those is found in Mark 4:35-41 when the disciples woke Jesus during a storm because they thought they were about to perish. After Jesus rebuked the wind and calmed the sea, they feared exceedingly – they literally “feared with great fear”. When they realized Jesus was no ordinary man, they were very afraid. Perhaps we need to remember the same from time to time and approach our worship of Him with more reverence.
His holiness and that of our heavenly Father demands some separation. And while we are invited to come boldly before the throne of grace, we need to remember where this throne is – who sits on it – and our own sinful humanity.
On bended knee I come,
With a humble heart I come,
Bowing down before Your holy throne.