Fellowship with the Father
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Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. – James 4:8 (NKJV)
As a teacher, I had summers off for vacation. And when Dad retired, we both had extra time to be together. I often asked Dad if he would like to go riding. I just wanted to spend time with my father.
Often the trips were to Dad’s hometown and the surrounding area. He would recount stories from his youth while I asked questions. Sometimes we drove country roads just to see what was there. Comfortable in each other’s presence, with no need to fill the silence with small talk, simply being with my father brought me joy.
As I was able to enjoy my dad’s presence by asking for his time, James the brother of Jesus tells us if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And just like time spent with my dad strengthened our father-daughter relationship, fellowship with our Heavenly Father strengthens our relationship with Him.
But how do we draw near to God?
First, we must recognize our need for God and believe in His provision of grace through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) tells us, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
And in John 14:6 (NIV), Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
God the Father wants fellowship with us, His creations, and He provided a way for us to be with Him forever by sending His Son to die for us. Once we understand and believe that our relationship with our Creator is only possible through His provision, He sends His Spirit to dwell in us so we can have fellowship with Him forever.
God not only sent His Son into the world to make fellowship with the Father possible, but He gave us His written word to teach us more about God. Time alone with our
Father, spent talking with Him and listening well to His words, allows us to grow in our relationship with Him. Just like I drew near to my earthly father by asking to spend time with him, we can draw near to our Heavenly Father by choosing to spend time reading His word and hearing His heart.
Because of God’s great love for us, it’s our privilege to have a relationship with the One Who created us. And because He loves us, it’s our joy to fellowship with the Father.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Consider Psalm 119:11 and Psalm 119:105. What do these verses tell us is a way to grow our relationship with God?
2. Read Psalm 145:18 and explain with whom the Lord fellowships.
3. Do you desire fellowship with the Father? What do Proverbs 8:17 and Deuteronomy 4;29 say helps us draw near to Him?
