The Triune God is a living communion of love who has graciously moved toward us through Christ and by the Spirit. The purpose of this self-giving movement is to draw us into the joy of God’s own communal life. And we share in this communion as we are brought to the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit. 

What must we do to share in this communion of joyful love?   There is nothing special that we need to do other than turn up just as we are.  Not as we should be, could be, or hope one day to become, but simply as we are in this moment. Yet being truly ourselves before God proves far more difficult than it sounds.

In our relationships — including our relationship with God — we tend to present the version of ourselves we believe will be most acceptable. Fear of rejection often shapes how we relate to others, and even to God, leading us to hide behind subtle forms of pretence. Yet before God, such performances are unnecessary and ultimately harmful. God does not seek an edited version of us, but invites us into a relationship marked by vulnerability and honesty.

To stand before God in this open way requires deep trust in His love. Scripture assures us that God demonstrated this love in Christ while we were still sinners, still resistant, still far from Him. That same love remains unwavering now. We are invited to lean our whole weight upon the God who desires us as we are in the present moment. Only confidence in God’s love makes genuine openness possible.

This does not imply that God is content to leave us unchanged. On the contrary, He meets us to transform us from the inside out. But transformation is not a prerequisite for communion; it is its fruit. We come as we are, trusting His love, and longing to be renewed within the fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit.