Draw Near
November 25, 2015
James 4:8 – “Come close to God and He will come close to you.”
Thanksgiving Day is coming soon. Grandmama Pat will put a turkey in the oven in the early morning before it is light. She will have made dressing. One brother will bring sweet potato casserole. Another will bring dessert and yet another will bring salad. There will be rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy, and several vegetables from the summer garden. It will be a feast! I am getting hungry thinking about it. I will walk in the door, and all the smells of this feast will hit me. And for the thirty minutes of anticipation, my mouth will salivate. But the best part is the eating. The best part is not thinking about the food, not smelling the food cooking, but the eating. I don’t want someone else eating the food and telling me how good it is. I want to experience it for myself. God wants us to experience Him for ourselves. So, God tells us to draw near to him. WHY? Because in our relationship with God, the best part isn’t thinking about Him in heaven or in history or hearing about His relationship with someone else. The best is found up close. The best is found in loving and being loved by God Himself. On Thanksgiving Day, I want to linger over my meal. I want to savor the flavor. I can’t do that without drawing near to the table. The very best thing that is offered to us on this earth is God Himself. Of all the ‘things’ that you and I can choose from the smorgasbord of life, the best is God Himself. You and I can stand back and think about Him, watch Him from a distance, or we can draw near in love. We can draw near and savor for yourself His love and mercy and wisdom and faithfulness.
Thanksgiving Day is coming soon. Grandmama Pat will put a turkey in the oven in the early morning before it is light. She will have made dressing. One brother will bring sweet potato casserole. Another will bring dessert and yet another will bring salad. There will be rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy, and several vegetables from the summer garden. It will be a feast! I am getting hungry thinking about it. I will walk in the door, and all the smells of this feast will hit me. And for the thirty minutes of anticipation, my mouth will salivate. But the best part is the eating. The best part is not thinking about the food, not smelling the food cooking, but the eating. I don’t want someone else eating the food and telling me how good it is. I want to experience it for myself. God wants us to experience Him for ourselves. So, God tells us to draw near to him. WHY? Because in our relationship with God, the best part isn’t thinking about Him in heaven or in history or hearing about His relationship with someone else. The best is found up close. The best is found in loving and being loved by God Himself. On Thanksgiving Day, I want to linger over my meal. I want to savor the flavor. I can’t do that without drawing near to the table. The very best thing that is offered to us on this earth is God Himself. Of all the ‘things’ that you and I can choose from the smorgasbord of life, the best is God Himself. You and I can stand back and think about Him, watch Him from a distance, or we can draw near in love. We can draw near and savor for yourself His love and mercy and wisdom and faithfulness.
– Virginia Thompson