This year, draw near to God
The Bible says in James 4:8, ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you’. I believe that in times like this, we need to draw near to God like never before. The Coronavirus situation has affected all of us in one way or the other, and some, more than others. On a personal level, I’ve had plans, some minor, and others quite major, cancelled or postponed, and there is nothing I can do about it. I’ve heard the word ‘unprecedented’ used so many times in the last few weeks that I’ve lost count. Life as we know it has changed and the future seems very uncertain for many. But, as Christians, we have hope because we serve a God that doesn’t change.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). We can trust in Him, and His character, and we can trust that He will not abandon us at this time, or ever. You may be one of the people with more time on your hands over the next few weeks and months. Perhaps you’re wondering what you’re going to do with all this time. Why not take the opportunity to draw closer to God? Why not use this time to reflect and seek God’s face? What is God saying to you? God is always speaking, and unfortunately sometimes it takes something major for Him to get our attention. So, why not ask God, ‘what are you saying to me, personally, at this time?’
God has a specific plan for each of our lives and we can only discover what that plan is, if we are in close relationship with Him. Life is so busy, and if we let it, the busy-ness of life can distract us from what is most important. Perhaps God is calling you to a time of stillness. Perhaps He is saying to you, ‘you’ve been on the hamster wheel for too long, and now is the time to get off’. I want to encourage you to take some time every day to spend with God- read the Bible and pray. Get a daily devotional if you don’t have one already. You can start with just 10 minutes a day. Read a few Bible verses and ask God what He is saying to you through those verses. God speaks to all of us in different ways, but if a thought enters your mind, write it down. If you have a question, write it down and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the answer to you, and trust that He will.
Right now, you may be scared, or you may feel uncertain. You may be worried about what the future holds. But, this year, I believe God wants us to just draw near to Him. And when we do, we’ll find that He is more than able to take all our fears, worries and anxieties and give us peace.
