Returning to the Lord

"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty.

(Malachi 3:6-7a, NIV)

I hope that every believer finds the comfort that I find in these words. Many of us, and I know this happens to me, find ourselves floating away from God. We trade our morning prayers and devotionals for sleep or we may trade an evening Bible study for rest and TV. After we've done that a couple of times, we suddenly find ourselves having no regular communication with God. Spending time with God is essential to developing an intimate relationship with Him (as spending time with someone is a crucial element of any relationship).

However, these words from the Book of Malachi bring direction and comfort. They bring direction because they express God's will that we return to Him and to His decrees. These words bring comfort because God promises to return to those that return to Him.

If you read this and find that you've traded away the time you need to develop an intimate relationship with God, I hope that you'll dedicate yourself to returning to Him. Stop and pray to God right now, asking Him to return as you are returning to Him. Then dedicate the time and attention required to develop an intimate relationship with God. Allow God to be the Lord of your life.