Friday, June 5th, 2015
HERE I AM
Come near to God and he will come near to you. –James 4:8
How do we come near to God? Is it through prayer, reading Scripture, or attending a Bible Study? These are all do’s, but I think the Holy Spirit, through James, is telling us that doing follows being. As Oswald Chambers said, “It’s be, be; not do, do.”
The Prodigal Son is a good example. He takes the first step of returning to his father, which represents coming near to God. When the father sees the son approaching him, he runs to him and throws his arms around him, and gives him all good things.
It’s not what the son did for his father, it was more a matter of his saying, “Here I am.” These are the very words Isaiah said when God asked who would go for Him. And the very words uttered by Abraham in Genesis 22:1and 11; Jacob in Genesis 31:11; Moses with the burning bush in Exodus 3:4; and Samuel in 1Samuel 3:4-8.
What will you do today? Promise God to do all sorts of good things to honor Him…or put your head down and say, “Here I am Lord, do with me as You will”?