“Up Close and Personal”
“That…which we have heard…seen…touched.” 1Jn 1:1 NIV
You can draw closer to the Lord if you really want to. You can have first-hand knowledge of Him. You don’t have to settle for Sunday morning sound bites, second-hand information, or a long-distance relationship. You can get “up close and personal” with Him. John writes, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” Drawing closer to God calls for developing a greater awareness of His presence. This brings three great benefits: (1) Friendship. No human being, no matter how wonderful, can be everything you need. But the Lord can. In Scripture He is described as a “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Pr 18:24 NIV). He will stick by you through every season of life, the bad ones as well as the good ones. For decades the motto of the Marines has been “Semper Fidelis,” which is Latin for “Ever faithful.” Even when you’re not faithful to God He will be faithful to you. (2) Compassion. As a young disciple John wanted to call down fire down from heaven on a town that refused overnight accommodation to Christ and His disciples (See Lk 9:54). But after a lifetime of walking with Jesus he wrote, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1Jn 4:8 NIV). (3) Confidence. Whatever life throws at you, you can handle, confident in the strength of God. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Php 4:13 NKJV).
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