Accessibility to the King in Elul

​The Hebrew month we enter tonight is called Elul. This sixth month is meant to be a time for introspection before the High Holy Days begin. The Jews use this time as one of repentance for the wrongs done to others. The Hebrew letters of Elul (Aleph, Lamed, Vav, Lamed) are an acronym for "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." (Song of Solomon 6:3) Elul is meant to be a time of recommitting to our relationship with God. Some people called Elul the "Jewish Lent." This season is called Teshuvah which means repentance and returning to God. According to Jewish tradition, Elul is the time when Moses was on Mount Sinai preparing to receive the second set of tablets.
 
The origin of the word Elul is linked to the Akkadian word for harvest. However, Elul is also related to the Aramaic word, "El," which means "to search" or "to examine," highlighting the introspective nature of the month. We are called to deepen our relationship with God during Elul. Some Jews will blow their shofars daily (except on the Sabbath) as a reminder that we are in the month of repentance. It is customary to read Psalm 27 twice daily (morning and evening) from Elul 1 until Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles). The Psalm is meant to give the reader peace in their souls as they repent.
 
During Elul, it is said that the King comes out to the field and can be approached by anyone. It is a time when there is divine closeness like no other time of the year, and an ideal time to deepen our relationship with the Lord. The King's accessibility is a great time of excitement. The definition of accessibility is "the quality of being at hand when needed," or in other words, He is available and easily approachable because all barriers are removed.
 
Jesus is a perfect example of the King coming into the field. He set aside His royal robes so that He could come to earth and commune with us. As it says in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made HIs dwelling among us." Jesus lived in a tent of mortal flesh so that He could manifest God's goodness to us. While on earth, Jesus chose twelve disciples who had intimate connection with Him for three years. During this time, He poured into them and taught them how to live according to God's Word. In His prayer to His Father in John 17, Jesus asked that His disciples would be sanctified by God's truth. Jesus came to earth so that the life of God would flow through mankind and that our fellowship with God would be restored.
 
The King came to earth to unite man and God through salvation. The King is in the field to bring us "life and life abundantly." (John 10:10) For the Christian who has pursued the King, every month is like the month of Elul. He makes Himself available to us because He desires intimacy with us more than we do with Him. However, we can use this month of Elul as a reminder of the King's amazing love for us.