Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped outside this morning with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and the Holy Word of a Holy God to meet with the One who died for me. The Bible says, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” and that’s what my Time with Him is always about. It’s never about just showing up…it’s about drawing near…and to pull that off, I need to enter His Presence with a Humble and Grateful Heart, AND I need to be willing to have my Heart Examined each day by the Author and Perfector of my Faith. Sometimes it’s a sweet Time, and sometimes it’s a tough Time, but it’s always a Good Time when I draw near to Him and He draws near to me. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith, too?

It can be easier than you think to find ourselves in that place where we wonder where God is and if He’s even listening to our prayers at all – but it doesn’t have to be that way. If we just do our Part to draw near to Him, He will ALWAYS draw near to us. After all, He is a God of His Word! Sometimes, drawing near seems impossible and it feels like we can’t get there from here…and when that happens, it’s because we are in our own way of having quality time because of the Condition of our own Heart. No relationship can thrive just by being in the same room, and it’s not possible to “draw near” to another human being if we rely on the fact that we’re “together” physically while the Heart is not Prepared for the journey at all. There isn’t a Relationship on the planet that can possibly survive and THRIVE if the heart isn’t in it. Why would it be any different with the King of all kings?

The Living God doesn’t just want us to show up; He wants us to DRAW NEAR instead, and that is where the “work” comes in. It isn’t possible to genuinely draw near to Him if there is Unfinished Business in the Heart, and it’s not possible for Him to draw near to us if we meet with Him just to see what He can do for us or how fast He can settle our latest crisis. Drawing near to Him takes Humility to confess whatever is in the Heart that is not pleasing to Him, and it takes a Heart that Hungers to be ALL that He created us to be. Drawing near is more about what WE can do…and who we can be…to be found pleasing to the Lord of all Creation than it could ever be about what He can do to please us. The child of God is Royalty, and it’s an Honor to enter His Presence any time we want to BUT it matters to Him how we show up, and He can’t draw near if we insist on living a Life that’s not pleasing to Him.

Having a Rich Relationship with the King of all kings isn’t nearly as complicated as folks like to think it is. A Rich Relationship isn’t reserved for just a select few, and it isn’t withheld from any Willing Heart, but it does take Effort on our Part. It takes drawing Near to Him with a hunger to be found Pleasing in His eyes and with a willingness to let Him Work within the crevices of the Heart…those places that only He can see. The heart of man will need to be Refined every single day until we find our way Home, and, as for me, that’s the Greatest Honor – to be Refined so that I can be found Worthy to Serve the King. It makes me sad to see how few professed Christians “get” this part and how few are willing to Surrender to Him to draw near all because they’re too proud to humble themselves before the Living God. I’m not sure how the Journey will work out for those people, BUT I’m confident they won’t see the kind of Relationship I have with the King until they’re willing to surrender just like I do…day after day and year after year.

I met with Him wrapped in a blanket on the front porch of an old farm in Virginia this morning with a Heart that longed to draw near. I need Him more than I need breath in my lungs and we both know it. As long as I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me.

How about you?