“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” — James 4:8 (NIV)
THE JOURNEY
For years, my relationship with my teenage daughter, Mia, was like living with a friendly ghost. She lived in my house, ate my food, and occasionally nodded at me in the hallway, but her heart was locked behind a bedroom door plastered with “Keep Out” signs.
I loved her fiercely. I paid for her piano lessons. I put gas in her car. I texted her encouraging memes. But I felt like I was shouting into a canyon and hearing no echo. I was a father, but I didn’t feel like a dad, because a relationship requires two participants.
One rainy Tuesday, the power went out in our neighborhood. The wifi died. The screens went black.
I was sitting in the living room, reading by candlelight, when the door creaked open. Mia walked in, wrapped in a blanket, looking bored and a little lonely without her phone.
“Can I sit here?” she asked. “My room is creepy in the dark.”
“Of course,” I said, moving over on the couch.
She sat down. At first, it was silent. But then, she started talking. She told me about the drama with her friend group. She told me about a boy she liked who didn’t like her back. She told me she was scared about college.
For the first time in years, she opened the gate. And because she opened the gate, I was able to flood in. I didn’t just listen; I validated her. I hugged her. I shared stories from my own life. We laughed until our sides hurt.
In that candlelight, the dynamic changed. My love for her had always been constant—it was a fixed object, like the sun. But her experience of my love changed completely the moment she decided to sit next to me.
She loved me back by giving me her time and attention. And in response, I poured out affection, wisdom, and comfort that had been stockpiled, just waiting for an opening.
I realized this is exactly how it works with God. He is the Father on the couch. His love is constant. But He will not kick down the door of our distraction. He waits for us to walk into the room, sit down, and say, “I’m here.” When we make that move—when we love Him with our presence—He loves us back with His presence.
Heart of the Matter
There is a spiritual law of reciprocity found in James 4:8: Draw near, and He will draw near.
Some people worry this sounds transactional, as if we have to “earn” God’s attention. But it isn’t about earning; it is about positioning.
Think of a campfire. The fire is hot. That is its nature. It doesn’t decide to be hot for one person and cold for another. But if you stand fifty yards away, you will be cold. If you step five feet away, you will be warm. The fire didn’t change; your position changed.
When we “love God”—by obeying Him, talking to Him, and prioritizing Him—we are stepping closer to the fire. We are positioning ourselves to feel the heat that has been burning for us all along. The promise is that God is not playing hard to get. The moment you take a step toward Him, He bridges the gap. He matches your intimacy with His own.
Faith in Action
Today, treat God like a person you want to build a relationship with, not a vending machine.
The Challenge: Go on a 10-minute “date” with God.
Leave your phone in another room.
Go for a walk or sit in a quiet corner.
Talk: Tell Him about your day—the small stuff. “Lord, that meeting was stressful,” or “I really love this weather.”
Listen: Then, be quiet. Ask, “What do You want to say to me?”
Don’t worry if you don’t hear a booming voice. You are building the habit of “drawing near.” The warmth will come.
Prayer for the Day
Heavenly Father, I want to be close to You. I confess that I often live my life in the other room, distracted and distant, while expecting to feel Your comfort. Today, I am opening the door. I am walking into the living room to sit with You. As I draw near to You in prayer and thought, I claim Your promise that You will rush to meet me. Let me feel the warmth of Your presence as I make space for You. Amen.
LOVE Note
“God is always near you, but He awaits your invitation to be intimate with you.” — A.W. Tozer
