[Biblemat] S) LORD, I WANT TO BE CLOSER TO YOU

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
files.  Use to the glory of God.

LORD, I WANT TO BE CLOSER TO YOU

     Within most serious minded Christians is a desire to have
a close relationship with the Lord.  We desire to feel as though He is our 
friend, that He is always with us, and that
His hands are busy molding us into the character of His Son.
This is God's great desire -- He wants us to know Him.  Think
of all He has invested in it.  Why else would He spend thous-
ands of years, write hundreds of pages of Scripture and at
last send His Son, God in the flesh, to earth?  God longs for
us to know Him.  Isn't this your great desire?

     How do we develop such a satisfying relationship with God?  For me, it 
still comes down to this dynamic trio: read-
ing the Bible, prayer and meditation.  These do not come 
easy and must be mastered in private.  Americans especially
don't handle privacy very well.  We like noise.  We like the
radio or the TV on, if for nothing else, some background
sounds so we feel like we have company.  To grow close to
God, we have to cultivate a love for being alone with Him in
quietness.  Let's look at these three private disciplines.  They
are called "disciplines" because that's what it takes to do
them (1 Cor. 9:24-27).  They take time, require focus, and must be guarded.  
The devil will try to take you away from
them.  The reward is great because "everyone who is perfect-
ly trained will be like His teacher" (Lk. 6:40).  That's what I want; to be 
like Him.

Bible Reading: -- Take time to see what you are reading.  Feel
the moment.  See Jesus walking on the sea.  Catch glimpses
of Him out there between flashes of light and feel the terror
as the disciples say, "It is a ghost!!"  Hear His shout over the
wind beckoning for Peter to come to Him.  Feel the water
touch His feet.  He's doing it!  Marvel at the power of the Lord!  God the 
idea?  Go to the scene.  it's not hard to do.
You haven't lost the imagination fo your childhood.  This sim-
ple shift in your reading will do wonders for your closeness
to Him.  Jesus chose 12 men so that they might be with Him
(Mk. 3:14).  The dynamic lives of these men were bewildering
to the world until "they realized they had been with Jesus"
(Acts 4:13).  This is not something just for the twelve.  You
too can be with Jesus.  Open your Bible and travel with Him.
In time, people realize you have been with Him too.

Prayer: -- Here again, the power of prayer is in how you see
it.  The best words to describe it are those in 2 Sam. 7:18,
"Then king David went in and sat before the Lord..."  That's it!  Prayer is 
sitting before the Lord.  See yourself coming be-
fore God's throne and sitting in His presence.  Allow yourself
to talk to Him like you would a respected friend.  Nobody is
listening for elquence, God just wants to hear from your heart
Hannah knew that (1 Sam. 1:13).  In times of sadness, pour
out your soul (1 Sam. 1:15).  Your very best prayer might not
be very pretty but don't worry about it.  Praise Him for all He
is, for always being there, and for being your best friend.
Trust me.  This kind of praying coupled with a devoted life to
God will give you a sense of being His friend.  Like Abraham,
you can be called a "friend of God" (2 Chron. 20:7).  You will
look forward to quiet times with Him just as Jesus did.

Meditation: -- After having been with Jesus as we read our
Bibles, we need to take time to meditate on God.  We can pon-
der great themes such as His power, His mighty works, His
creation, and His Will for our lives.  Most of the time, this will
have to be done when you "go into your room" (Matt. 6:6).  I
enjoy the ascent up my stairs (I often tell my wife jokingly
that I am going up to Mt. Pisgah) for my study is just such a
place.  But I also enjoy going to outdoor places near my home.  Have you ever 
noticed that some of the greatest encounters with God were outdoors?  As 
someone once said,
"Moses didn't meet God at the mall."  It was common for Jesus to go to a 
garden, a mountain, the seashore, etc.  God's places of nature are places for 
meditating and drawing
closer to Him.  And while you are there, chew on some part of
His Word, creation, or heaven.  I enjoy thinking about my life
before Him, asking Him to help me see all the areas about
which I need to improve.  Solitude helps.  Solitude is like an
operation where the anesthetic puts everything to rest before
the surgery can take place.  Jesus not only taught the need
for solitude, He sought it relentlessly (Mk. 1:32-37).  It refueled Him.  It 
will do the same for you.

     These three disciplines are time-tested and proven.  I am
persuaded they will help bring to you the depth of relation-
ship with Him you have always desired.  And more.  They will
also create a longing for Him that only eternity in His presen-
ce will satisfy.  You will go to your grave wanting more.  That,
my brethren, is what heaven is all about.   ------ Jeff May in
Biblical Insights, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 2006.   </HTML>
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