Return to the GOD Who Loves You!

How often do you find yourself drifting in and out of church? Drifting in your commitment to GOD? Drifting in your commitment to the things of GOD? How often have you just walked away for a while and returned to your old way of doing things? Your old lifestyle? Maybe you’ve dug up your past and started living in it once again?

I don’t know where you are in your walk with Jesus today; but, I do know that if you aren’t where you should be it’s time to get back there! It’s time for you to turn your life around and return to GOD!

I have discovered, and witnessed it first hand, that when a believer “falls-away” from living for GOD, the despair and chaos that begins to enter in is of a destructive nature—left to itself, total destruction will eventually befall the individual. Only you can change that in your life, if that is where you are at today!

The nation of Israel once again found themselves far from GOD. They often drifted away from Him and in His constant love for them, He would gently nudge them back. GOD’s Spirit came upon the priest, Azariah, and sent him to King Asa with a word from GOD for His wondering people: “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you” (2 Chronicles 15:2 HCSB).

That same word is for you today. Whatever your spiritual condition may be, GOD promises to be with you when your heart is set on Him. He promises you will find Him even in your distress. He promises He will never abandon you regardless of the steps you choose to take. GOD loves you today no matter where you may be in life and He desires to have you in close, intimate fellowship with Himself.

Azariah then confronts Asa with the truth of the situation: “For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law, but when they turned to the Lord God of Israel in their distress and sought Him, He was found by them” (vv. 3-4).

Israel had been wondering along through life without GOD—the GOD that called them out of the darkness, the GOD that had delivered them from the penalty of their sin, the GOD that had freed them from the bondage of their oppressors. They had forsaken Him and turned away from Him to their own way of living.

Maybe that’s you today? GOD cares about you. He is working constantly trying to draw you back, to change your heart and mind—how will you respond today?

The Bible tells us: Asa “took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land…then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their ancestors with all their mind and all their heart” (vv. 8,12). Notice that it took an action on their part to initiate the change that GOD was desiring to bring about in them. They removed the things that were leading them astray, got their lives in order and committed to seeking after GOD with all their hearts and minds.

The story draws to a close by telling us: “They had sought Him (GOD) with all their heart, and He was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side” (v. 15). When they truly sought GOD out, He was found and His peace that they had so longed for returned to them and flooded over them granting them an inner peace and tranquility as never before.

In the midst of your problems, GOD is speaking to you today. His love for you is unfailing. His desire to be close to you is never-ending. Walk away from the things of this world today and place your confidence in Jesus Christ. Trust Him to once again re-establish the relationship with the Father that your innermost being is so longing for today. What will you do? How will you respond?

Scripture Reading: “I love You, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies. The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears. Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because He burned with anger. Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it. He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet. He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His hiding place, dark storm clouds His canopy around Him. From the radiance of His presence, His clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals. The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice. He shot His arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightning bolts and routed them. The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness” (Psalm 18:1-21 HCSB).

Personal Prayer: Father in heaven, I have drifted away from You. I have allowed my selfish desires to command my steps and lead me to places I wish I had never gone and to do things I wish I had never done. Please forgive my failures and my sinful ways. Please cleanse me and purify me so I may stand boldly in Your presence once again. I love You and desire to once again be dwelling in Your midst, hearing Your voice and following Your lead. Thank You, Father, for never giving up on me…in Jesus’ name…AMEN!