“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8).
Growing up, and even after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at the age of 24, I was afraid of God. In my mind I imagined Him as a strict, mean and unapproachable God. The image I had in my mind of God was from how I saw my earthly father. My father was a strict disciplinary person without the balance of love. He rightly disciplined me for my wrong actions but the balance of love after the discipline was missing. My father, I learned later in life loved me, but was unable to demonstrate an open expression of love to me because he was never shown love from his father. It is hard to give what you have never learned!
I was saved for 11 or 12 years before I discovered the unconditional love of God and that’s when James 4:8 became very real to me. I have learned and become confident in drawing near to Father God daily to seek His wisdom and advice for my life. I also draw near to Father God knowing He loves me unconditionally and wants the best for me. The more I draw near to Father and He responds to me by drawing near to me, this increases my faith and helps in comforting me during the hard times in my life. This scripture is a heavenly call and invitation for both Believers and Unbelievers. For Believers, God is encouraging us to seek Him with an invitation to come into His presence, and He will meet us there. For Unbelievers, this is a call to salvation and He will meet you with open arms.
God loves us more than we can ever imagine and He wants a personal relationship with His children. Whatever you are going through right now, draw near to God for His help. If you don’t know God’s love, draw near to Him asking Him to teach you experientially His love and He will. He wants to participate in our lives no matter how big or small. Friends, God wants a relationship with His children, so don’t hesitate another minute, draw near now and you will be so blessed when Father God draws near to you!
S.N.A.C.K. on the Word
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Hmm. Thanks for sharing your experience, ma’am.
I also had a similar experience where I judged God based on how my earthly father dealt with me. But thankful that in our personal walk with Him, He sheds off those thoughts and mentality. And we get to know God for who He is – full of everlasting love for us. 🙌🏼
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Amen! I reconciled with my Father in my adult life.
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