Gospel Reflections #395: We are Assured that God is Near to us.

James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, therefore, to God and rebel against the devil, and he will flee from you. Then the devil will flee from you."

We cannot rebel against the devil in our own strength, or if we could, it would be in defeat.

God says that He will reject the proud and give grace to the humble.

When we "rely on our own strength," we become "the proud.

To be humble is to "rely on God," not on ourselves.

When we choose to rely on God, the devil cannot get to us.

After today's scripture, we read, "Draw near to God. Then God will draw near to you."

God is always close to us. We just don't know it.

I believe that "draw near to God" means "be aware of God's presence beside us.

I think "God will draw near to you" also means "we are assured that God is near to us.

God is always with us. When we truly realize that, we can be in the peace of being with God, where Satan cannot enter.

When we realize that God is so close to us, we will feel God's love soaking us with a shower of surprise, excitement, joy, and peace.