Come Close to Christ

"[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of... the people close to his heart" (Psalm 148:14).

"People close to his heart." I am close to the Lord's heart! You are close to the Lord's heart!

Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus' chest and later he told the whole world again and again: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!" (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

What a blessing it is when I'm meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings the Word to life in my heart like this! Words I've read many times before suddenly blossom into vibrant, new life. What a surprise! What a joy! It's as if I've never read the words before, though I've read them many times.

Oh, to be captivated by Christ all the time! Oh, to be continually drawn into the glorious realm of his kingdom of the heavens!

Linger with my little prayer poem, "Come Close to Christ." Imagine yourself with Jesus as John was you too will start skipping and rejoicing with John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"

Come Close to Christ
Come to Christ
Supper with the Savior
See his smile
Lean on the Lord
Hear his heartbeat
Delight to be his disciple

What a wonderful scene this is! What a prayer! As often as you can remember today try reminding yourself, "I am close to the Lord's heart... I am the disciple Jesus loves..."

Who do you know who needs to "Come Close to Christ"? Offer a prayer for him or her. "_______ is close to the Lord's heart... _______ is the disciple Jesus loves..."

It'd be good to send your friend a word of encouragement right now!

Only Read if You're Thirsty

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

“All reading not intended for us by God is dangerous,” wrote Jeane-Pierre de Caussade in his classic devotional book of the 18th Century.

The French Jesuit Priest continued,” It is by doing the will of God and obeying His holy inspirations that we obtain grace, and this grace works in our hearts through our reading or other employment. Apart from God reading is empty and vain and, being deprived for us of the life-giving power of the action of God, only succeeds in emptying they heart by the very fullness it gives to the mind” (Section V, p. 9).

Jesus offers us his Spirit to drink: “If anyone is thirsty, let him [or her] come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him [or her]. (John 7:38).

You and I are thirsty for Living Water. We quench our thirst by drinking, not by reading about drinking.

So when you read the Bible or this article don’t read just to get through it – read to pray, read to drink in the Spirit of Christ. Some Christian writings are more helpful along these lines than others. Read the ones that inspire you to pray with the Psalmist:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2).

Everywhere we go God’s streams are available – if only we’d feel our thirst and drink! Our life and our eternity depend on this. And the lives of everyone we come in contact with depend on us being able to overflow with this Living Water.

Are you feeling thirsty for God right now? Pause… Take a deep breath… Smile upward… Drink in of the Holy Spirit all around you…

“Waves of Love” is my thirsty for God prayer poem inspired by Psalm 42.

“Reading the Classics of Devotion” is a list of good old books that elicit my thirst for God.

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