Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Drawing Near to God

James 4:1-10 gives us tremendous insight into the "human condition." In that passage, James begins by asking about the source of fights, quarrels, and disagreements. He ultimately sees the source of the problem as internal. We have unsatisfied desires within us. We seek to meet those desires with everything other than all that God is for us in Christ. In fact, we even ask God to give us things to make us happy...things other than him!

James calls on these folks to repent...something of an old-fashioned word for contemporary people. Repent means to change one's direction...and it implies sorrow over heading the wrong direction. James issues 10 imperatives...10 commands to his readers. He wants them to:

Submit to God (humbly bow before him and acknowledge him as our king)
Resist the Devil (he is the one seeking to lure us away from God)
Come Near to God (which means we have moved away from him)
Wash our Hands (Actions)
Purify our Hearts (Attitudes / Thoughts)
Grieve
Mourn
Wail
Change Laughter into Mourning
Humble Ourselves

Here's the deal...God is able to meet our deepest needs and desires. He meets them with all that he is for us in Christ. Anytime we try to meet those needs with anything else, we end up frustrated and angry...usually resulting in our relationships spinning out of control. Instead of seeking something else to fill the spot in our life that only God can fill, why not let Christ meet your deepest needs?

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