Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: James wrote, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8, NKJV

I suppose that if I were to ask people to define the main theme of the Bible, the overwhelming majority would say “God” or “Jesus.” To take nothing from the prominence of The Deity, my response will be “Relationships.” Please allow me to share my reasoning with you.
Suppose that I tell you that a magnificent rock formation forms the focal point of a vast, trackless desert. You may well say, “So?”
I persist; “It is unlike anything you have ever seen. You really should go to see it for yourself.” Yielding slightly, you may ask where it is located. Should I say, “Australia,” you could rightly comment that Australia is not only far away, but is also a very large country.
“OK,” I say. “I’ll show you a map of how to get there,” and talk about distance and direction, all of which will of course be in relation to some point and to where you are at the moment. Relationships.
Conceding that such a trip may not be within reality, I may throw in a picture so that you can see for yourself the wonders that I proclaim. Again, I need to include some references about substance, length, breadth and height, and how it may compare to anything found elsewhere in the world. Relationships.
God is Infinite, All-powerful, All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing. He is known as the “Great I Am.” God “IS!” How do we describe the indescribable? What more to say?
He is the Creator of all that exists; That is a relationship. He wants to be our God, and we are to be His People. That is a relationship.
Think about all that is contained in the Bible. The very commandments proclaim not only God, but the relationship between all things in creation, living and nonliving. Jesus sums up the commandments in Matthew 22:36-40 by stating that a certain relationship should exist between God and ourselves, and between ourselves and our neighbor. The truth of the Parable of the Good Samaritan lies not in who of the three men passing along that Jericho road believes in God, but in who has a Godly relationship with his ‘neighbor.’
Again, it is our relationship to the least of His Children and our response brought about from that relationship that is important, (Mt. 25:31-46).
Suppose that you are sitting in a room which darkens as the daylight ebbs. You are there, the darkness is there, and a light switch is located across the room. To bring illumination (light) into your life, you need to do something about your relationship to that light switch. Get up, move that relationship close enough that you can turn on the power.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
August 14, 2005