A young boy attended vacation bible school all week and on the last day was given a plaque inscribed with the words, “Have Faith In God”. Somewhere between the classroom and the bus, he had misplaced the plaque. When the bus took off, he stood up and said, “Stop the bus. I have lost my faith in God!”

Certainly, we ought to be as concerned as much as the young boy was, when we find our faith growing weak, when we find our spiritual lives going in the wrong direction. Perhaps we should stop and reconsider the path we have chosen. Perhaps it’s time to recover what has been lost.

To draw near to God we must draw away from ourselves. This truth is central to Christianity and genuine discipleship. Is it not the case that we are often our own worst enemy? Jesus said, “if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). The glory of God burns away the self-made man and replaces it with the God made man.

To draw near to GOd we must draw away from worldliness. The pull of the ungodly things of this world may seem too powerful to overcome, but the closer we draw to the Father in heaven, the less attractive worldliness becomes. Paul admonished us saying, “be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Man deceives himself in thinking that both can belong to him. Jesus said, “no man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).

When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. If God seems a little distant in your life, guess who moved! Like the story of the prodigal son, (Luke 15) the Father will run to meet you if you start in the right direction. The power of choice is a powerful tool. You can sit where you are, or you can begin with the first step to make a difference in your life, for today, and forever.

For a free audio cassette of a lesson entitled ‘Drawing Near to God’ email at bcc@moment.net or calling 830-833-4884.