But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
- Ephesians 2:13
 
Look at what God does for those who were far away. Whether by upbringing or by choice or by both, some of will find ourselves far away from the center of God’s love. We’ll wander broadly and get lost. We’ll forget altogether that we have a home with God at all. But that’s not the end of our story.
 
God brings the far away near. He brings them near to himself. There, they find healing and restoration. They are cleansed of their sins. They receive power to make the world a healthier and holier place. They are loved.
 
And God brings the far away near to his own people. Those who’ve never strayed far find themselves joyfully in the company of those who were long lost. Prayers answered and hopes fulfilled, the community of all those who have been brought near rejoice in the name of Jesus.
 
God brings the far away near through the blood of Christ. This near-bringing looked at one point to be a near-disaster. When Jesus was pinned to the cross, the whole enterprise seemed lost. Yet it was in his giving of his own life’s blood that we found life. Something changed in the cosmos. The wheel turned and history spun off in a new direction. And, all of the sudden, the far are near.
 
Christ alone can bring you near to God and near to others. Our efforts to do this on our own fail. Our good intentions get corrupted by selfish desires and habits. Our meaningful initiatives lose steam. And we discover within our hearts a hate that lies beneath our veneer of love, acceptance, and tolerance.
 
When Jesus brings us near to God and to other people, he does it in a way that challenges and changes us. We discover that we’re not perfect; how could we be when we’re covered in the blood of an innocent man? We come face-to-face with our own bitterness, self-love, and hate. And we receive God’s near-bringing acceptance and love into the deepest recesses of our hearts. And this changes us.
 
Where do you long to see the far brought near? How do you need to experience transformation in order to full participate in this good, community-creating work?