Comfort Of Being Near Our God

Comfort Of Being Near Our God

"...But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’ “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." (Deut.5:31-33)

In human terms we, as small children, look up to our parents. As a young boy, being able to stand alongside my father and learn or observe while he was doing or teaching something important was such a treat. As we age perhaps we lose touch, for any number of reasons, with that wonder and sense of privilege to be with our parents. The fact still remains, however, that as a child looking to his father, we look on in awe and with respect - often hanging on every word and action. Even higher than that thought is that our Lord would say to us, "stand here by Me and I will teach you.. " So high and blessed is this immense privilege that it brings a lump to my throat just thinking that God - the Almighty Creator of all - would invite me (us) to stand next to Him as He instructs us!!! What utter fools we are if we neglect that invitation and refuse His instruction!!!

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (Jms.4:7-8,10)

To think we who have wronged God by sinning against Him, we whose sins put our Savior upon the cross, we who required the blood of Jesus Christ to save us from our sin, we who have found ourselves estranged from our Lord far too often and perhaps far too long due to disobedience and/or hardness of heart -- though this be true of us, He has lovingly invited us to be with Him through humble submission. We are INVITED by the King, Jesus Christ, Himself to lay our burdens upon Him, take His yoke upon us, and follow Him.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt.11:28-30)

The Lord gives us the blessed privilege to lay down our sin and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We, who deserve death and destruction, are given the command to lay aside the sin and pursue righteousness. How thankful we are that God is long-suffering and doesn't want any of us to be destroyed (2Pet.3:9) and gives us the opportunity to be saved through obedience to His commands. To consider that He invites us to serve Him rather than face eternal death --

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt.16:24-26)

We have a choice in this matter! Why would we ever choose to walk away from God or serve ourselves? Why would we choose to refuse the Heavenly and Divine invitation of our Lord and Maker?!!

Friend, don't deny your Lord. Stand by Him, learn from Him, love Him, walk with Him. Do it now, each moment, while He is so graciously giving us time. There truly is no other way to live this life that makes sense when we consider all He has blessed us with (Rom.5:6-8). If we fail to obey Him, refuse to follow, then we don't love God - consider the consequences of such a life. Consider the blessing of being able to learn His ways and so follow Him to that eternal rest above.

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