by Dona Hake
A few years ago I can remember a church displaying a sign on their front lawn, and it was all so simple yet so very profound. It said:
“You are as close to
God as you choose to be”
I absolutely love things like this that really make one stop and examine their heart. There is so much truth in this handful of words. These are “heart checkup” quotes that provoke one’s thinking. We live in a time where there are tests for this and tests for that to maintain optimal health because we want to live long, healthy lives. This is a good thing, yet we need to do check ups on our spiritual health as well! The Lord desires that we live strong prosperous lives while we live here but we have choices and responsibilities to do so.
It all boils down to the fact that we have choices in this life. Today I am sharing about your choice in how closely you walk with Him. I find it important that our friendships are ordained of the Lord, and we need to be careful who we associate with. Some people are mere acquaintances, but there are those that you desire to be friends with and know them in a closer way. You touch base with them often, and you make sure you are communicating on a regular basis. You are as close to people as you choose to be.
So it is with the Lord Jesus Christ…you are as close to Him as you choose to be. If you know Jesus it should be important to you that you know His heart, and He wants you to know His thoughts. When He speaks to you through His Word or in prayer it is so precious because you are experiencing an intimacy with Him. The closer we walk with Him, we will desire for that closeness to grow even stronger. Jesus desires to be our friend all the time, not just when problems arise. I love knowing that Jesus is always with me. We need to remind ourselves of this because He lives and dwells within us if we are a believer. I just know it probably thrills Him to know we are purposing to be conscious of His presence.
I am going to throw a thought out to you to ponder. If you were to invite a very important person into your home you may want to go to every extreme to make your home look nice inside and out. You may cook a very nice meal and go all out making them feel welcome. I am sure you would also make every effort to treat them with kindness and courtesy. Your speech would be thought out before you spoke a word because you would not want to be offensive in any way. You would want them to feel welcome and received.
As believers the Lord Jesus should always be treated as a guest of great honor in our homes. When you are in your home you need to remember that He is present and in your midst. He should also be honored and respected as He dwells within you. Remember, you are the temple that He dwells within. As we live and move and have our being,we should be moving closer to Him. We need to make wise choices over our speech, our conduct, and every decision we make. Remember…you are as close to God as you choose to be.
Psalm 73:28
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord
God, that I may declare all thy works.
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord
God, that I may declare all thy works.
James 4:8 The Voice
Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you.