Coming back from the camp, I'm challenged to live out the challenge of drawing closer to God each day, responding to His call to know and understand Him.
Thus says the LORD:
“ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
God desires that we know Him, not just know about Him. The word 'know' (yada) in that verse describes a level of acquaintance and knowledge of a person that is as intimate as that between a husband and wife.
As any married couple would know, such a relationship requires a lot of work and commitment. But the joy of sharing life and love between them despite all the trials makes it all worthwhile.
So it is with God. He offers us the most satisfying relationship possible, and the most reliable friend and lover in Himself. However, how much we get to know Him depends on us. We are our biggest obstacle.
One prayer can sweep a legion of demons out of the way when you are hungry for God; God created us for that very encounter, that moment when He answers the hungry searching that originates from the thought there has to be more! God will move heaven and earth to reach you. He paid with His blood to make it possible.
So if you're feeling like God would want nothing to do with you right now, you could not be further from the truth. He is the answer to the very thing that you think keeps you away from Him. Run to Him! He is waiting for you.
One prayer can sweep a legion of demons out of the way when you are hungry for God; God created us for that very encounter, that moment when He answers the hungry searching that originates from the thought there has to be more! God will move heaven and earth to reach you. He paid with His blood to make it possible. So if you're feeling like God would want nothing to do with you right now, you could not be further from the truth. He is the answer to the very thing that you think keeps you away from Him. Run to Him! He is waiting for you.
Every sincere Christian who wants to experience a life pervaded by the presence of God like Abraham, Moses and King David is faced with choices everyday that can shape the path towards God, or away from Him. They can be as simple as 'Do I switch on the TV?' and, 'Magazine or Bible?' to 'what university course should I pursue?' and 'Is this person the One?'. We can choose to involve God and seek His opinion, or do it our own way. I've found time and again that when I choose to leave God out, and refuse to obey Him, I reap sorrow, pain and regret.
It's in our interests to seek God. When it comes to trusting yourself, you'll find that there is a limit to the reliability of a philosophy of independence from God. Our hearts betray us, deceive us. We thought they would be the One -- but now we're not sure. It felt right - but nothing's working! All our understanding, skill and experience can still fail us: we're not sure whether to accept this offer, or that one; buy this house, or the other one; listen to your parents, or your friends. Wouldn't it be nice if the right choice was always clear like Dorothy's yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz?
The Bible teaches that we are to depend on God; it is wisdom to do so. The Christian that pursues God will realise that our need to depend on Him runs deep; we need Him as much as we need air to breathe. Only He knows the answers every time. Only He truly satisfies the deep parts of our soul.
The Bible teaches that we are to depend on God; it is wisdom to do so. The Christian that pursues God will realise that our need to depend on Him runs deep; we need Him as much as we need air to breathe. Only He knows the answers every time. Only He truly satisfies the deep parts of our soul.
Abraham, Moses and King David were all human, and made mistakes as we do. But they made consistent choices to keep in fellowship with their God, to fall in step with Him and stay there. We too need to purposefully make the choices that allow God to participate in every area of our lives; let Him fill the hungry corners of our hearts and make the dark places awash with refreshing light by letting Him in, and letting Him work in us. We need to choose to obey Him in the little as well as the big things, to fan the flames of passion - everyday, one day at a time.
One of our speakers used an analogy that has stuck with me: intimacy with God is like tending a garden. Weeds and bugs spring up overnight to threaten the health and beauty of our gardens; unforgiveness, idolatory, self pity, jealousy etc can spring up in our hearts in a moment. Those things can deafen our ears to His voice, block access to our hearts, plug up that spring of divine life within us.
I have to remind myself of that too because until we started preparing for the camp, I was actually letting a lot of things slip till I came to the point that I felt further from God than I had been for a very long time. I'd left Him out for too long. But God is so faithful, so merciful. I am continually amazed at how He continues to love us even though we have failed time and again. I would have given up on me long ago! But He is big enough for our smallness. And more than worth the pursuit.
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