Gods Word Is Alive

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8a (NIV)

(several people this morning have requested a list of the verses that were in my treasure box - check back tomorrow and I will have these listed out for you to copy and paste so you can begin building your own special treasure box.)

If you are linking over to my blog today from the Proverbs 31 daily devotion, thank you for dropping by! And happy Monday to all of my weekly blogger friends. Above is a picture of my treasured bible verse box that I made reference to in the devotion. (Thanks again LeAnn!)

The day that I sat in Gods lap, as the devotion explains, God impressed several things upon my heart. 1) I was not alone or forgotten; 2) He cared about my hurts; and 3) He could really speak to me in a way that I could feel and understand.

As a Christian, all three of these things would probably be considered the most basic of the truths that we believe, however, sometimes, if you are anything like me, we just need a little holy reminder of those truths to calm our spirits. A blatant, in-your-face type of holy reminder.

A reminder that God is not taking a break when we feel hurt or confused, or when unfortunate situations seep into our lives, but that He is still there, and will share His love and His voice if we draw near to Him.

Getting near to God is not as hard as it seems. If we see Him as an unreachable, invisible, and untouchable, then, yes, it may seem impossible to ever find Him. However, if we see Him as real, alive, and within our reach through prayer and devotion, we will soon discover that He is not near as far away as He once seemed.

Drawing near to God, results in Him drawing near to us as well.

In the 4th chapter of James, the biblegateway commentary tells us that James is acting as a "spiritual director" for the church. It tells us how "the church goes beyond superficialities and guides the church into holiness in its internal relationships. True spiritual direction not only challenges; it comforts". It goes on to explain that James is "faithful to confront sinful motives and evil practices, and he is equally clear about the promise of God's grace."

Grace - that is one key thing I pull out of this chapter of instruction for sinners. Grace. We all need it in times of sin, pain, sufferings, hardships, and challenges. Iin fact, a definition of theological grace that I came across said "the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them."

Is that not exactly what we all need and want? Of course! We desire to have the spirit of God working so actively within us that we feel re-energized, refreshed, motivated, strengthened, and loved beyond belief. It is those exact feelings of supernatural power within us and a peace that surpasses understanding, that empower us to pull ourselves out of a pit, and into the light of Christ instead. That internal spiritual power is what draws us into Gods presence.

The place to find that grace, comfort, and fresh spiritual energy to press on, is through Gods Word, and all the promises that flood into our hearts when we read it. What a disservice we are doing to our faith and ourselves when we discount the truth that Gods Word is alive.

Shortly after me and God had us some snuggle time, I slowly began to see things improving in this relationship. I began to see God working in the heart of this person, a person who has a wonderful heart to begin with, but who had been trying to do life without holding His hand as a result of being pulled in every direction due to the pressures of life. I have seen glimpses of Gods plan in this relationship, and my heart is bursting at the seams to watch Him at work.

Even though I may not understand why things happen, I still try to focus on having full trust in Gods ways, and not allow doubt in His sovereignty to seep into my mind. I thank Him every day for continuing to work in my heart, and the hearts of those I love, and I truly believe that He is doing a mighty work.

Trusting in God for answers to come, for wisdom to manage issues, for strength to persevere, and for peace and forgiveness to come, can be hard. More than hard. Painfully hard. And most of the time, no fun. But it is that exact trust that will not only get us through the battle, but also that will lift us up when we see Gods restoration and love begin to flow. Maybe the answer to our prayers will not look exactly like we had prayed for, but nonetheless, it will be the best answer for us.

If you would like to sit in Gods lap today, consider doing the activity mentioned in the devotion. Make your own bible verse box, and insert your name into all the verses. Or, if you know someone who is struggling with a difficult time in their life right now, make a bible verse treasure box for them. It is a gift that will not only lift their hearts, but lift their spirits as well, and most likely, will also result in a much needed smile.