Day 2: Draw Near
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22
Devotional Material
Most mornings I wake up with the weight of impossibilities and my inadequacies pushing me deep under the covers. This heaviness is often mixed with reminders of blaring realities I can see of my inabilities and lack. Being the multitasker that I am, my mind wanders quickly to the times I have failed before and mistake after misstep are filed across my mental landscape like an old movie set up for me to review as evidence that should size up my day. Nope. No way can I do what I think I’m called to do.
And I haven’t even brushed my teeth.
Call it the Enemy, perfectionism gone bad, or my own conscience, as the writer of Hebrews might agree. The bottom line is that if I just wait around allowing all that garbage to percolate I will literally waste my life, paralyzed in fear, stifled in inhibition. Unmoved.
No. We cannot fix the problem or awaken the hope within. But neither does God intend we stand there brushing our teeth in presumed failure or indifference.
What then is the solution?
Draw near.
So often we don’t draw near because we have beaten ourselves up too much before we get out of the starting gate. The work IS impossible. We ARE inadequate for the task; which is why we can’t fix it. It’s a circular disaster with a single workable strategy: take your mental mess and emotional abyss to God. You moving closer to the heart of God as He draws you to Himself. That is the only solution.
Get rid of the pretense.
He simply asks for our sincerity. This is not the time to practice some artificial ritualistic nonsense. He can see through all that drivel. Bring your whole mistake-ridden, inapt self. But offer it in candor. In our worst postures, He still presses in toward us.
Come in full confidence of Faith.
Leave the “I cant’s,” with your toothbrush.
Instead, come near in full confidence that your God hears you; that He will respond on your behalf, and will replace all of that negativity and destruction with His Truth, filling you with overflowing bountifulness of Holy Spirit imparted hope. Positioning this confidence in the forefront mentally changes the trajectory of your day to impact your world. It’s literally life-changing.
Today, would you simply draw near?
Leave a prayer or response below so that we can participate together as we walk this journey alongside each other.
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With 6 kids at home, drawing near has to come very early in the morning. Father, help me to set aside the distractions and chaos of the life You’ve called me to and make more time to simply do just that… Draw near. ❤
Toni,
I know exactly what you are saying. And for what it’s worth — I’m so proud of you! During years when I just couldn’t get up any early or stay up any later, I decided I would give God the first moment of “free” time I had — which was not “free” at all — it’s when I could choose to do something else –than what was demanded of me at any given moment (like dishes or laundry). I set a timer. Today, I’m in a different season. I can’t get up before the first one leaves (because it’s like 5:15 am), but in between the first and the next group, there is a gap. I have made mine breakfast INDEPENDENT of Mom, which gives me a few extra minutes. That’s all the time I have. But it works. In a matter of years, everything will be different. I want them to grow up with parents who Draw Near – who see it and know it and learn to do likewise. I will be praying for you that God will give you the strength and energy to continue to do just that! But also ideas, just like He has in my life for how to Draw Near in the middle of the madness. If you come up with something AWESOME please, please share it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 Help a girl out!
Hello Cheri,
First of all I want to say I’m in awe of how well you multi task. I had 2 kids & your day is way more complicated than mine ever was!
One regret I have about my children’s upbringing is my failure to let them see me doing a daily devotion or prayer time.
I think kids seeing their parents actively studying devotions & praying imparts a sense of importance to DO IT. It sets an example for them to follow.
Kudos to you for all you do for your family spiritually through prayer & study. Also by sharing your knowledge with others.
Father, I want to draw near to you. To focus on you and all your perfect qualities instead of me and all my failures and inadequacies. To start this day new and fresh and excited for what you will show me, instead of averting my eyes to opportunities in fear that I will let you down. Let me see the good in people, in situations and let my hope and joy be contagious. Help me drown out the devil’s voice with your word. You are my strength, my hope is in you.