As Close As You Choose To Be
Our fast paced world wants us to be relevant, wants us to be in touch. We want to answer every email, solve every problem, somehow delete the email we sent in haste off our boss’s computer before he gets to work in the morning or before he downloads it on his smartphone. And the sad thing is we are able to do it all. We are able to do three deals at once. We are able to make a board see the light and come around to the vision we’ve cast. We pull off the speech, the presentation, picked up the kids from practice sent three emails on the way home and put dinner on the table. We do it all and then we become impatient with the impotent fools who struggle. We sometimes snicker to ourselves or laugh openly at those mental midgets who have befallen our path. If they weren’t around, we could get a lot more done.
It’s then we start to realize the coldness of our hearts has saturated our soul and we feel far from God. No grave sin, per say, but a coolness that is painful to endure. We cover it up with a smile, a laugh, a backslap hug and a “let’s do lunch.” We know in our heads we could be closer to God, but where do we even start with how busy our schedule is. People need us. God gets put on the back burner.
There are a few out there that drink deeply of the cool waters of His Word to refresh the Soul. There are some who find a quiet place where we let the world drift away and all that matters is that we have this incredible connection with God and He takes those boulder worries off our shoulders like flicking off a flake of dandruff.
The reality is we submit to busyness. Busyness is our god. James speaks to us.
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. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
--James 4:8-10
No wonder you can’t defeat the anger. No wonder temptation defeats you. No wonder the devil’s been winning. You have been worshipping a god who cannot refill what you have poured out. You have once again been serving yourself under the guise of serving God and others. Come near to God and He will come near to you. You are as close to God as you choose to be.
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