Draw Near To Me {Five Minute Friday}

I have missed out on the last few Five Minute Fridays, so I'm going to try to finish the year strong! This week, the word of inspiration is...NEAR.

A lot of words come to mind when I think of the word Near. So many scriptures rush to the brain of how God promises to stay close to us as long as we draw near to Him. But I am also thinking more of my boys. Both of them are growing up so fast--one is 7 and the other is 11 with a birthday not too far away. They are navigating this adventure we call life and I enjoy seeing their personalities grow.

One of my sons is a snuggler. Oh how he LOVES to come near me ALL THE TIME. His day cannot begin until he has "mommy lovin's". And he's so soft and warm fresh out of the covers, that I never complain and could hold onto him forever. We have all sorts of lovely conversations. And throughout the day he loves being by my side to help me, or he simply wants me to watch him and be there in case he needs me.

My oldest son loves his lovin' time, but he's getting to be a big old clumsy puppy dog. He's zipping between the need for me and the need for independence. He loves attention from me and being near me, but can't sit still worth a dime. He comes to me for small sessions. But oh how refreshed his emotions are when I give him that one-on-one time he so desperately NEEDS.

We are the same you know.
We need God in similar ways.
Some of us are like my youngest son. Content to dwell in His presence all day long. To never leave His side. Asking Him to constantly let us give it a try--but only if He stays near. But you know most of us--probably the vast majority of us--are more like my oldest. We come near when we feel like we need Him the most. Maybe we are too busy with our lives for any LONG periods of time with God. We are sure we can't slow down long enough to encourage that relationship. But then we remember how much we do need Him, and we drop everything to draw near to Him. And our souls become refreshed. And we can tackle the world again.

I guess the balance is finding a way to do both. Seeking Him first thing every morning. Knowing we can count on Him to help us with anything and everything. Yet boldly going forward with our souls refreshed to tackle whatever this world has for us.

Yep. This is what I am thinking as I ponder the word...
Near.