Intimacy with God: Drawing Near
Devotional Encouragements #7
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8
How do we draw near to God? For an unbeliever, it may be going to church for the first time, or reading the Bible for the first time, and praying the prayer to receive Jesus Christ into his or her heart. For a new believer, it may be going consistently to a weekly Bible study, getting up in the morning to spend time with God, or memorizing a Bible verse. For others, it may be filling our day with worship music, from morning to evening, praying without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17) in our hearts. It may be learning to hear God’s voice and being obedient to His instructions. It may be reading a Christian book to assist personal spiritual growth.
And of course, drawing near to God may be setting aside more time each day to spend with God in the secret place. But realize that it is not just about the amount of time, but the energy and effort that we exert to draw closer to Him during those times.
Ultimately, drawing near to God is an action of the heart, and it can never be fully measured by outward behavior. One can engage in hyper- religious activities and never draw near to God. Religion hardens our hearts and distances us from God, but true faith, worship, and devotion steers us deeper into His heart. Let us become so immersed in Christ, that all we want is more of Him.
For each one of us, drawing near to God can mean something different, in the outward sense. Let us not be satisfied with our current “nearness” to Him. Let us hear the tender invitation of our Father to draw closer.
To be continued in Part 2…
