Holding God Close

We are told that we are to cling to the Lord (Josh. 23:8 and Deut. 13:4). We are also told, "There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You" (Isa. 64:7). But in King David’s case he said, "My soul clings to You" (Ps. 63:8). These scriptures help us to understand better how to make God our refuge. We have to arouse ourselves to take hold of God and, like King David, cling to Him with our very soul: "If we had forgotten the name of our God or extended our hands to a strange god, would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart" (Ps. 44:20,21).

Think about when you were young. Did you have a special blanket? Or did you have a teddy bear? Even when you were young, the evidence of your thirst for God was clear. Is it wrong to let children become so attached to a blanket? Absolutely not! However, the job of a parent is to help our children to make the transition from clinging to their blanket to clinging to God, not to their friends or anyone else. Don’t wait to start when they are a teenager because the transition has already begun. Remind them often that it is only the presence of God that can satisfy. When they get hurt by their friends, encourage them to soothe themselves by enjoying the presence of God.

It is a subtle thing that we do, but even as adults when we trust something for security we draw it in close. We "wear it" around us. It is true with money and clothing it is true with other things also. Whether it is a relationship with another person, a job, or our house, our refuge makes us feel secure. 

Depending on something as our refuge, involves drawing it close and wearing it around us. But note that if we don’t wear it around us, there is no benefit. It is all about abiding -- that is what we want. Whatever we are trying to abide in we have to hold it close or it won’t make us feel secure. The same is true in our relationship with God. Making God our refuge requires that we hold Him close. We have to abide inside His closeness all around us -- touching us. Trust you are near and take time often to think about the radiance of His presence being close to you.

The same is true for the love of God. The love of God can touch your human need for love more fully than you may now realize. In order to more fully enjoy and be feed by the love of God it helps greatly to thrill your heart with the closeness of His love.

hugs... love... & blessings...

.::Tam::.