Lent Day 36 | The Nearness of the King

Scripture Focus:

John 12:12–13 (ESV)

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem… ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…’”

The Nearness of the King

Before the crowds gather and the branches are lifted, there is a quieter moment — the realization that Jesus is near. John tells us that the people heard He was coming. The anticipation begins before the celebration. The movement starts before the visibility.

This moment matters because it reveals something about how God works. He often draws near before we fully recognize what He is about to do. The people prepare themselves as they hear the news: the One they have been waiting for is approaching. Expectation begins to rise.

Lent brings us into that same space — a space of nearness. We have walked through humility, repentance, surrender, and waiting. And now, something shifts. Not everything has changed yet, but Christ is near in a way that calls for attention.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” The nearness of God is not something we earn, but something we respond to. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, the invitation is not only to observe but to prepare our hearts to receive Him.

There is a difference between knowing about Christ and recognizing His nearness. Lent trains our attention so that we do not miss Him when He comes close.

Before the cross.

Before the resurrection.

There is this moment:

He is near.

Practice

Take a few quiet moments and simply acknowledge God’s nearness.

Pray:

“Jesus, help me recognize that You are near.”

Let that awareness shape your posture today — slower, more attentive, more open.

Reflection Question

Where might I be overlooking the nearness of God in my life right now?