Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8
A lot of people wish they were more spiritual, but don’t feel like they are able. Most people don’t feel good enough or know how to begin growing spiritually. This verse teaches us that God invites each one of us to come closer to Him, even if we feel unworthy because of what we’ve done. After God invites us to approach Him, the next part of the verse shows us how. God’s Spirit guides us in repentance. Even though we’ve done wrong, God invites us to turn from our wrong ways, washing our hands of our disobedience.
This is more than wanting to do better next time. Repenting is turning away from our sin, while we also turn to God. The only way to leave something you like is to find something you love. When we turn away from our sin, turn toward God, and believe that Jesus is able and willing to forgive our sin, we are born again as children of God. God purifies our hearts, and we have a desire to grow even closer to God
This verse begins with an invitation that is followed by a promise. This year, as you “come near to God,” He promises to “come near to you.” In the very core of our being, we know there is a God governing this universe. We know that He has made us, and we suspect that we have disappointed Him with some of our decisions. One of our deepest hopes is that we could be right with Him and have a relationship with our Creator. Jesus is that way of knowing God. Can you hear God’s Spirit inviting you closer?
