MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012 -- Come Close

When we come into life with God in recovery, we often focus first on behaviours.  We remember bad things done by us or to us.  We feel guilt and shame, almost in overwhelming fashion.  We know we responded to desires for pleasure and to avoid pain for years by choosing behaviours we thought might help us but which, in fact, broke us down and broke down our relationships with God and others.  When we awaken in recovery it is both the guilt and the desire for "doing things our way" that God invites us to lay down so we can finally come into the life of love and goodness God intended for us when he created us.  Our healing and our protection can come only from our Loving Heavenly Father.  The only way we can face ourselves and others is to respond to this love that is gently drawing us.  Only in the security of this unconditional endless love of God can we dare to look at the rest of our life.  Sadly, we see it the other way.  We see the need to "clean up and sort out" in order to approach God.  We think we need to find a "better way" that drugs or alcohol to solve our problems but still "our way" rather than God's way.  The foundation of all of life in recovery that lasts is that we draw near to God, learn how good it is to be near God, and allow God to clean our conscience and wash our bodies with His purity.  Today's invitation is to come to God first and then in the safety of His love, learn how to sort out everything else.

God says, " I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.  I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them. (Hosea 11:3,4)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:22)  But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge.  (Psalm 73:28)