James 4:8

"Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
James 4:8


Sometimes we wonder why God seems so far away, and here, I think, is a way to have him closer.  The closer that we approach God, the closer he will approach us.  As in any relationship, it takes work on both sides to establish the closeness and trust that we would like.  No matter how much God loves us, the relationship can't work without some effort on our part as well, and here he promises to match that effort... making it twice as effective.  I think that the rest of the verse is helping us to know what kinds of things will help us to draw nigh to God.  Cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts... and interesting that he mentions sinners and the double-minded. :)  I wonder whether it is just two names for the same group, or two separate groups. :)  I think the idea of being double-minded is interesting... like trying to hold two contradictory beliefs and live by them at the same time.  It never works, and is pretty stressful and exhausting.  Today, let's try to draw nigh to God.