Cuddling with God

I have a confession to make and I hope it doesn't change your opinion of me as some tough, rugged kind of guy. I like to cuddle. It's true, there is almost nothing I enjoy more than cuddling with my wife. And I enjoy cuddle time with my kids as well (except when it's supposed to be cuddle time with my wife and they find a way to get in between us).

I share that fact with you because I believe connecting with others, especially those you love, is critically important. Now if you are some Jr. High or High School student and you're reading this, this doesn't give you permission to be all over your boyfriend and girlfriend. But what I am saying is that it's good to be close to those you love. When I sit close to my wife or put my arm around her she feels more connected to me. When one of my little ones sits on my lap and lets me put my arms around them, there is definitely a bond being built. This is even true when I sit close to my two older daughters as we watch a movie. Being close to the ones you love is so important.

James 4:7-8a gives us some insight on what it takes to be closer to God: "Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." When we draw near to God - cuddling if you will - then He naturally draws us closer to Him. Desiring Him, seeking Him, craving after Him. But there can't be any distractions, anything that gets into the way of your connecting with God. Notice that James writes that we must submit to God and resist the pull of the Devil if we want to enjoy intimacy with our Lord.

Those times when we allow the Spirit to draw us close to God become moments of spiritual intimacy that stick with us for years. Maybe that happens to you everyday or perhaps your connectedness with God runs in cycles (such as during a camp, revival, big church event, etc.). But know this: God wants to be close to you. He doesn't desire some long-distance relationship where y'all get together whenever you're in town. There is everything good about throwing yourselves into the arms of God and being completely satisfied in His embrace.