Draw Me Nearer

 James 4:8

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Writing letters—either by hand or electronically—is a good way to communicate. We can share our innermost thoughts with others, give and receive encouragement, and laugh together. However, letters aren’t perfect. They’re sporadic, coming in intervals of every few days or longer, and the conversation tends to be one-sided. A telephone or video call eliminates those delays by allowing us to interact in real time. We can hear one another and even make eye contact.

Many of us feel that prayer is like “writing” requests to God and sending them off, hoping to eventually get a response. But our heavenly Father wants to speak with us in a more immediate, intimate way (James 4:8). That means we must commune with Him daily, clearing space in our mind and heart. When we do, we’ll find that conversing with Him becomes easier over time. Then prayer will be as natural as speaking with a friend—the best one you’ll ever have.  Proverbs 18:24 tells us, 

24 A man who has friends [a]must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.