Gospel Messages #366: We seek the God who accepts us as we are

James 4:8 "Draw near to God. Then God will draw near. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Cleanse your hearts, all you who are of an unquiet mind."

This is one of the things James says about the religious life of Christians.

As long as we have been influenced by the world, even as Christians, we unconsciously mix the things of God and the things of the world in our lives of faith.

We often think we know what we are doing, but we don't.

James reminds us to keep our eyes on God.

The "sinners," the "unsettled of heart," are us.

We do not need God unless we are truly aware of this.

No matter how good we are, no matter how many services we perform, no matter how many accomplishments we build up, we cannot change the fact that we are sinners. And even if we seem to keep our faith, we are still weak and our hearts float and sink.

It is when we sincerely accept and embrace this that we truly seek God Himself.

We seek the God who accepts us as we are, the God who will not let us go, the God who loves us through and through.

The moment we choose to approach and turn toward God in this way, we realize how close God is to us.

God is with us. God is there for us at all times, no matter what. We are walking the path to God without realizing it.

Once we experience the peace of God's presence with us, we will grow weary of mixing our faith with the things of this world. We will focus purely on God alone.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.