Here is the invitation as you begin a new week. Learn to come near and learn to run away. Both of these are extremely important. The skills of drawing near and running away are two sides of a coin that lead to spiritual health!
This is not an invitation to act like a grade-school boy who tells a girl he likes her and then spends the next week avoiding her. It is not a picture of a schizophrenic mind that can’t decide if it is time to stay or run away. The discipline of drawing near is all about your relationship with God. Be relentless in your efforts to get close to the Creator of the universe who made you, loves, you, and actually likes you! Read His Word each day, talk with Him often in prayer, listen for His voice, notice His presence through each day, and grow your friendship with Jesus. In the book of James (4:8) we read, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” What a hope-filled invitation.
James (4:7) says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Sometimes the call is to resist, to fight, and even to run away. The Apostle Paul tells the young pastor, Timothy (2 Timothy 2:22) to, “Flee from youthful lusts.” When the enemy is on the attack, there are times when we stand and fight. But, there are also times to run! When temptation is too intense, when you feel your resolve weakening, or when you just feel tired and discouraged, sometimes the best action is retreat…run into the arms of God and stay there until you are encouraged, empowered, and ready for the battle.