“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 4:8

“Come near to God,” James writes, “and he will come near to you.” What a sweet, simple thought! If we deliberately crowd in close to God, He will crowd in close to us. One woman used to describe such closeness as cuddling up in the Lord’s lap, snuggling in tight, embracing Him, and feeling his nearness. But then, after a prolonged period of terrible suffering in her life, that picture changed. From then on, closeness to God meant collapsing, absolutely fainting, and falling back into God’s arms—and then feeling Him carry her.

This may be a time in your life when you face emotional or physical pain. Take a minute to memorize James 4:8. Draw as close to God as you know how, and you will find He is also drawing close to you. As He does, you will sense His power and have the courage to keep going, carried along in His arms.

Lord, this sense of being close to You isn’t something syrupy or sentimental. It is life itself! It’s the reason for drawing breath each day. Please keep me from drifting from You because of unconfessed sin, neglect, or a hundred other lesser preoccupations. I need to sense You are carrying me today. Thank You for being so close.