Be Near Oh God

A lie is a lie is a lie is a lie. And just the same: a truth is a truth is a truth is a... well, you get the picture.  I am finding more and more how important scripture is to memorize and store in your heart.  Not only because actual scripture tells us to do so (Psalm 119:11), but because it draws me closer to God.  I have realized lately that I desperately need God.  I desire to be closer to Him.  I want to find out what He desires of me (Micah 6:8) and do it well.  I love this journey.  It has been amazing.  I did something today that I didn't realize was so heavy. I forgave myself for some past decisions.  I was sitting in my classroom just soaking up some good worship time with God and just broke for the things I have been holding on to inside of me.  I guess I have been storing them up so I can take out the guilt and the bitterness and the brokeness for future pity parties.  It was so freeing.  To submit to God.  To surrender.  So tonight when lies from the past started to creep up on me I decided to go to scripture. 

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. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4: 7-8

The part that really stuck with me is to come near to God.  I just sat in silence and whispered over and over again lyrics from a Shane and Shane song. "Be near, oh God, be near, oh God of us, Your nearness is to us our good."  That promise that if I come to God, pray to God, worship God, seek out God, ask God, spend time with God, then He will draw near to me.  That is truth.  And likewise, if I resist the devil, the promise is that he will flee from me.  How do I resist the devil? I acknowledge his lies for what they are, lies.  Then I submit to God fully and just simply draw near to Him with scripture, worship, prayer. 

The freeing is amazing.  I am telling the truth when I say that as I was seeking out God I felt His presence.  My chest got lighter. There was a deep calming.  A unbelievable peace that truly passes understanding.  You see when truth is revealed and believed there is a serenity.  There is a joy.  There is a release.  There is truth, plain and simple.  Only God can do that.