Closer

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God."

"to put in order under"

The Amplified version translates, "be subject to God..."

The New Living says, "So humble yourselves before God."

And then it goes on... "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you."


To submit, to yield, to give up, to bend ones will to another... aren't these so necessary when drawing close to Almighty God. When I consider my relationships with others; my parents or friends or siblings, I realize that in order to draw close to people, I have to come into right standing with them. It's the reconciliation, apologies, forgiveness, kindness, confessions, honesty...all these things seem to remove the stand-off-ish-blockading stone wall from between us and bring us closer. Then, we can communicate! We can thrive and live with each other. We grow and laugh and adventure and learn and love together. So what about with God? How do I get closer to God? How do I yield to Him?

Realize love.


Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. -Jeremiah 31:3 NLT

My love toward you does not run dry. 

Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. -Deuteronomy 6:14-15

God is for me. God is calling me. He is inviting me to be close to Him. And His promise is that when I come closer, He, too will draw close to me. He will never put to shame those who trust in Him. Never. He knows and sees it all. He is mighty to save, slow to anger, abounding in love and patience. He is for me!

I want to be found knowing you intimately because every step I take is another step closer to you. Help me to look to you, call to you and run to you. Remove all that keeps me from you! Help me to realize and live out my part and also to recognize when its time to receive.

I want to be closer to you, Jesus.

Grace