Thursday, March 29, 2012

March 30, 2012

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

If I need to fill the tank on my Toyota I don't pull up to a garden hose, I go to the Sheetz. When I need a hair cut I don't go to the butcher shop. And, if I need Chinese carry-out I don't go to Colonel Sanders.

In life, we have to learn where to go to get what we want.

For the past 40 days we have been reminded that when you want love you had better go to God. No one loves like Him and no one gives love as freely as Him.

Our verse from James promises that when you draw near to Him He will come and bring His love. No where is that illustrated more clearly than in another one of His parables, the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Especially in this portion, watch,  “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:17-20

Just like the young son in this story, most of us have gone to the wrong places in search of love and come up empty - or worse. But then, when we came back toward Him HE RAN TO US!

How great is THAT picture? What do you think about a God Who comes running to you? I mean REALLY! A God Who loves you so much He runs to you when you take a few small steps toward Him. You can trust a God like that! You can cling to a God like that! You can love a God like that and let Him love you!

Will you?