July 20 - Guess Who Moved?

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Chronicles 29-31; James 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Drawing near to God means eliminating
things in our life that might draw us away from Him. 

You may have seen it on a bumper sticker or a church sign: “If you feel far from God, guess who moved?” The truth behind that rhetorical question comes out in both our readings today. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you (4:7,8). James was calling the early Christians back to a place of humble reliance on God. Hezekiah was doing the same thing in Judah.

While the northern tribes of Israel were being deported to Assyria because they consistently moved away from God, Hezekiah boldly led Judah back to complete devotion to Him. All of the kings of the northern tribes, as well as the evil kings of Judah, led the people away from God into idolatry. The good kings led them toward God and away from idolatry. But only Hezekiah had enough gumption to tear down the high places and every remnant of idolatry throughout his kingdom. That speaks to me on a personal and leadership level - drawing near to God requires the elimination of anything in our life that might draw us away from Him.

James refers to these things as “the world.” You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the Spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? (4:4,5). God is jealous; He simply will not tolerate anything in our life that competes for our highest devotion. Our walk with God is like a marriage; complete fidelity is the foundation of that relationship.

“Lord, this past year has been a wonderful season of identifying and eliminating the things in my life that have at times distracted me from You. Today and every day left of my life I devote to drawing closer to You!”