7月28日
标 题：亲近神
经 节：你们亲近神，神就必亲近你们。有罪的人哪，要洁净你们的手！心怀二意的人哪，要清洁你们的心！（雅各书四章8节）
有时候，我们觉得神似乎离自己好远。你可能觉得自己的祷告只上达到天花板。雅各说，只有一个原因导致如此，这是有解决之道的。如果远离神，那是因为你的罪使你与祂隔离。
神是永不改变的，祂的本性是完全圣洁。祂的信实保持一致，改变的是我们。我们允许罪进入我们的生命。我们选择自己的道路。我们愈来愈少读经祷告。然后，有一天我们发现自己渐渐远离了神。雅各所指出的解决之道相当直截了当：亲近神。当我们发觉自己需要更亲近神，并且回转到祂的跟前，祂就像那浪子的父亲一样，张手欢迎我们（路加福音十五：20）。
亲近神需要你采取两个行动。首先，要洁净你的手（以赛亚书一：15），洁净自己的生活方式。如果你已经陷入罪恶的深渊，一定要弃绝罪。如果你做了任何事伤害某人，一定要解决这件事。其次，要洁净你的心（诗篇五十一：10）。你必须要让自己的心思意念、态度和动机，在神的眼中为正，并且与神的话一致。耶稣警告你不要事奉两个主（马太福音六：24）。对其他东西的爱与对神的爱如果相当，是不可能讨神喜欢的。
如果觉得神似乎离自己好远，一定要洁净你的手和你的心，来亲近祂。
Draw Near to God
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
(James 4:8)
There may be times when God seems far away. You may
feel as if your prayers go unheard. James said there is a simple reason for
this and a solution. If you are far from God, it is because your sin has
separated you from Him.
God is unchanging. His character stays absolutely
holy. His faithfulness remains constant; it is we who change. We allow sin into
our lives. We choose our own direction. We spend less and less time with Him in
Bible study and prayer. Then one day we realize that we have gradually grown
distant from God. The solution, according to James, is straightforward. We are
to draw near to God. As we realize our need to be closer to the Father and we
begin to return to Him, He meets us even as the father hurried to greet his
prodigal son (Luke 15:20).
Drawing near to God requires you to take two
actions. First, you must cleanse your hands (Isa. 1:15). You must cleanse your
way of living. If you have been actively engaged in sin, you must renounce it.
If you have done anything to offend or hurt someone, you must make it right.
Second, you are to purify your heart (Ps. 51:10). You must make certain your
attitudes, thoughts, and motives are right in God’s eyes and are in harmony
with God’s word. Jesus warned that you cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24).
It is impossible to love anything else as much as you love God and still please
Him.
If God seems distant, do what is necessary to
cleanse your hands, purify your heart, and draw near to Him.
