"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
Recently a Christian co-worker asked me what I do to grow closer to God. She was preparing for a women's get together at her church for which she was tasked with answering that question for a discussion they had planned, and so she was first asking that question of others. The answers she had received up to that point were all good, and certainly necessary for an intimate relationship with the Lord. Pray. Worship. Confession. All are important, and I practice all those things. However, my immediate answer was "read His word." That is the one discipline I have found most effective in getting closer to God. Let me explain through an analogy.
When I met the boy who would later become my husband, I wanted to know him better and grow closer to him. So I spent a lot of our time together listening to him. I pondered the things he revealed to me. I watched how he treated others, and came to understand his character. Over time I found he was honest, loyal, and trustworthy. He was a man I could count on, always the same person in private as he was in public.
So how does this translate to growing closer to God? If we want to know God better and grow closer to Him, we have to spend time with Him. We must listen to Him, and the way we do that is by reading the Bible. He speaks to us through His word. When we read a Bible passage and take time to ponder it, to mediate on it and consider what God is telling us, we come to understand more about His character. The Bible is full of examples of how God interacts with His people. How honest He is, how trustworthy, and how He is always the same. He never changes. And although my late husband exhibited many fine qualities, he was not perfect. In contrast, our Heavenly Father is altogether perfect. Flawless, and pure.
Through His word, God teaches us how to implement all the other disciplines I mentioned. He teaches us how to humble ourselves, repent, confess and turn from our sin and pray (2 Chronicles 7:14 is one example). He shows us how to worship Him (Jesus says in John 4:23 that we are to worship God "in spirit and truth", from the heart and not just from outward actions or religious rituals). Each page we turn, each verse we read, reveals more and more about this wonderful, awesome God we serve.
This side of Heaven my relationship with God will never be completely what I desire it to be, because of sin. But I will by His grace and love continue to grow closer to Him here on earth. For me, that starts with reading His word.
Today's music video Every Promise of Your Word by Keith and Kristyn Getty is a reminder that we can stand on every promise in God's word. Beautiful!
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
We are going through Nehemiah at church and yesterday's sermon was on Ch. 9, and confession. When I don't feel God's presence, it's usually because I need to search my heart. But as you said, being in His Word daily is how we learn more of who He is and His character, and how we get instruction. All the answers your co-worker got were good and important. I think many of us have that same question!
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ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful essay! A friend & I began a year- long bible reading plan at the beginning of the year & we are finding it to be such a blessing. Thank you.
This blessed me.
ReplyDeleteDear Friend, all that I can comment to this well written post is, Amen!
ReplyDeleteThose of us that are living in countries where we can freely own a Bible need to read and study it like it could be taken away at any moment. Not that I think it will happen, I surely hope I never see that day, but in this world and the times we are living in we never know. We need to get it in our hearts, where no one can steal it.
You are absolutely right-- we know God from reading and meditating on the Bible.
ReplyDeleteI loved the story about your husband :)
Thank you Nancy. I always look forward to your Monday posts. Hugs....Marilyn
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