“Come near to God and he will come new to you.” (James 4:8)
In our quest for efficiency, we punch out emails quickly to our friends and colleagues. Avoiding the words that would take too long to spell, we write in an abrupt, brisk fashion. At times I find myself applying this same “quick, get it over and done with” attitude to my time with God.
I recently felt the effects of my briskness with God. I was distant in my prayer time, scattered in my attempts to worship. Prayer was more of a checklist than a conversation. Pondering over my plight, I realized the unthinkable: I was ignoring God.
We often think of God as “detached.” He’s over there, and we’re over here. We are mistaken. God is with us. He is around us. He covers us. He aches when we ignore Him, too busy for our God. Yet He remains faithful. He is just, jealous, angry, compassionate and merciful. He longs for us, our companionship, our fellowship. He longs for our love.
We can’t simply turn God on and off. We can’t ignore Him and then expect to experience His nearness whenever we feel the urge. All relationships in the human dimension require love, care and attention. They require time. Relationships in the spiritual dimension are no different. God is near. God is ready. God is waiting.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him” (Lamentations 3:22-24).
The Lord waits for our unending worship. Sit down with Him. Go for a walk with Him; listen to Him. Take your relationship deeper and develop a treasured closeness to your Maker.
Dig Deeper:
Prayer:
Lord, it amazes me that You want to spend time with me. Forgive me for ignoring You. Place in my heart an eagerness to meet You and enjoy Your glorious presence.
