Sometimes it seems like our dog Duke just can’t get close enough. He will lay at my feet and look up with loving eyes. I wish that I was more that way about getting closer to God.

In one sense God cannot get any closer to us than he already is; He is closer than our next breath. However, when it comes to relationships, how close we are to God depends on us. Because of Jesus we have grace to draw nigh unto God.

Ten lepers cried out to Jesus for help. The Bible says that they stood “far off.” In mercy Jesus healed all ten of them. Nine ran away from Jesus, but one ran to him. Those nine were healed, but the one was made whole. Calling out to the Lord is a good thing to do, but getting close to God makes a greater difference.

Getting close requires movement on our part. We can’t turn our backs to the things that matter to the Lord and expect a relationship with God.

That is why we repent. We turn back to the Lord and he reaches out for us. We fall at his feet and he picks us up in his arms. We cry, “I have sinned,” and he says, “You are forgiven.” We say, ” I am not worthy to be your child,” and our Father says, “Welcome home.”

“Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.”