Carol Purves

Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8

The more I think about God, the nearer He seems to come to me. But I have to be honest, much of the time I’m busy living life. That’s why it’s good to have a ‘quiet time’ regime. There are certain books I read and meditate on in the morning and again in the evening. The main book, of course, is the Bible. There are always new things to learn from it. So, yes, I do get nearer to God.

‘Keep straight the path of your feet and all your ways will be sure.’ Psalm 1:1

I don’t always like the modern translations, but they do make you think. Sometimes we’re so used to our favourite versions that we don’t think about the words. They say ‘familiarity breeds contempt.’ Well, not contempt, but sloppy reading. So, to keep our ways sure, we need to walk in the way of God.

Praise be to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy. Psalm 28:6

It’s easier to be a Christian when all is going well. But the real test is when trouble strikes. Is our faith in God still as strong? A friend of mine, a new Christian, prayed very hard for her friends cure from cancer. God answered the pray with the cancer healed. But my friend will need to learn that sometimes God’s answer is no. That’s when faith needs to kick in.

‘An angel of the Lord to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood beside me.’ Acts 27:23

I love this comment of Paul’s because he tells us who he belongs to and then he adds that he serves Him. When I read the Bible I seem to get little reminders. Yes, I belong to God but do I always serve Him? Yes, He does stand beside me, but again I ask ‘do I always serve Him?’ I need to obey and serve.

‘I will instruct you and lead you in the way you should go.’ Psalm 32:8

I’ve not yet succumbed to using a Sat Nav. I love using maps as I drive around. Unfortunately at this time of year road signs are often obliterated by overgrown foliage and road markings become faint. Not only does my God instruct me, He also leads me. I praise Him for that.

‘I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you.’ Isaiah 41:13

I’m so pleased that is God who takes hold of my hand and not the other way round. If I did the holding I might let go. The hand that created the universe and everything in it, is holding on to me. That’s good enough for me.

God doesn’t just use the ones who are ready. He gets ready the ones He wants to use.

I heard this quote from someone at the Keswick Convention. I’ve forgotten who but it’s a good thought. It certainly applies to me. I’ll never be good enough in myself to be used. He has to make me ready.

In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes. Romans 8:28

We know in our hearts that God works for our good, but don’t always acknowledge it in our heads. I have a friend, let’s call her Jill, who is a new Christian. She has a friend who is dying of cancer. Jill has prayed and prayed for her to be healed and is now struggling in her faith as her friend continues to move nearer to death. This text is hard for Jill to believe.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble”.

Psalm 46:1

I am blessed as I great each day with eagerness, as I don’t know what exciting thing is round the corner. But the days don’t always turn out like that. Sometimes bad things happen and a day is really awful. It’s at times like these that we need to have God’s word hidden in our hearts and be able to say ‘He is an ever present help in trouble.’

“If you instruction hadn’t been my delight, I would have died because of my suffering.” Psalm 119:92

I can’t remember having read this before, though I must have done. The Psalmist sounds so desperate. But there are times when we also are so distressed ourselves and only by listening or reading God’s word will we find comfort. Often I look to other places first for my help. I wonder how long it will take me to learn.