Closer

Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

James 4:8

As humans, we are drifters. One day we’re close to God (or what feels like close), the other day, we are so far removed. Yes, circumstances have a part to play but generally speaking, we just drift - we ebb and flow like the sea on a sandy beach. When times are good, we are further away from God. We’re enjoying our lives, seemingly not needing Him. Things are going great right?

Back to the example of the sea. We can learn many lessons from nature. In the natural world, as night approaches, the sea gets closer to the shore and the ‘tide comes in’. This is how we are with God. When the ‘nights’ in our lives approach, we are quick to come close to God. We roll in like the tide. This is not how it’s supposed to be, we are to be as close to God as possible at every point in our lives.

One interesting lesson about the shore is that it does not move. It stays still. No matter how close or far away the sea is, it remains in the same place. Many times when we move away from God, we say that He has ‘left’ us, we feel abandoned and forgotten. Even Jesus on the cross felt forsaken by His father, but that is when the Father was closest to Him. In our our hardest and most difficult moments, God is closest to us. Psalm 34:18 specifically says that God is “close to the broken hearted”.

We must remember that God never moved, He stayed still waiting for us to return to Him. We are the ones who moved away from Him. He always wants to be close to us, in all circumstances, at all points in our lives. He longs to have a deep connection with us. It’s a bit like a mirror. The closer you step toward a mirror, the closer your own image comes to you. Here’s another analogy you can use when you think of God. The closer you come to God, the closer He will come to you.

Make a concerted effort to come close to God every day - each day getting closer and closer. How? Read His word and talk to Him - He's ready and waiting.

Here’s what He says to you today:

I am always here, I never moved, I never left. I long and will always long for a personal connection with you. The closer you come to Me, the more fulfilled and at peace you will feel.

Pray this prayer today:

Thank you God for always being close, even when I don’t feel you at times. It’s so comforting to know that you are always there with Me.