God wants to know you, and he wants you to know Him.

Can anything be more important than knowing your Creator?

God also desires to lead His people and to give them direction for life.

What is it that hinders our living in close, personal, and significant relationship with God?

First, our sin keeps us from that close relationship with God.

“Listen! The Lord is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But there is a problem–your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore” (Isaiah 59: 1–2).

Obviously, we need to deal with our sin problem. As we acknowledge our unrighteousness and confess our need for God, we begin the process of removing the barriers that separate us from God.

God wants us to turn from sin and to turn toward him. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Second, our apathy keeps us from a close relationship with God. How many times have you heard someone say: “I intend to get to know God and to live for him”? Yet, many of those people never get around to turning toward God.

Our lack of intentionality keeps us from God.

Third, life itself keeps us from God. As we get caught up in the things of the world, the things of God recede into the background and keep us away from the fullness of God in our lives. Jesus put it this way: “the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things” (Mark 4:19) steal our relationship with God.

If these things keep us from God, we certainly need to devise a plan for
intentionally knowing God and turning from our sin.

“If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Look for God’s presence today. You will be blessed when you do.

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