One Step…
Several years ago, I applied for a job as an Editor of a Cancer Newsletter at the Dartmouth Cancer Center. There were many people who applied for this position, and I went through several over-the-phone interviews. They finally narrowed it down to 2 people. Me and another person, and after the final interview, they chose the other person. The position was in New Hampshire, and while I wasn’t looking forward to moving to New Hampshire, I was really interested in the position, and had waiting for over 3 months going through many interviews and telephone conversations, even making it down to the final decision, and I was greatly disappointed when they told me they had offered the job to someone else.
That’s the way a lot of things go in this life. We get all of our hopes up about a certain relationship with a potential mate, about a possible career move, about a new opportunity, only to have it fall from our grasp at the last moment. Nothing in this life is guaranteed. And people always tell us, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
However, there is ONE THING that IS guaranteed. A personal, genuine, daily, life-changing relationship with JESUS CHRIST! All we have to do is take that first step. James 4:8 tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” God makes a GUARANTEED promise to us. If we get rid of the sin in our lives, and give our lives to Him, He will draw close to us, He will guide us, He will provide for us, He will be our strength, our help, and our DAILY companion! All we have to do is take that first step – “God, I GIVE YOU my life!!”
David wrote in Psalm 73:26-27 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge…” He says, GOD ALONE is where I place myself, in HIS hands I have nothing to fear. He says it is GOOD to be NEAR God. And the closer we are the BETTER our lives will be!
A certain job that WE dream about may not happen, a certain goal WE set in our life may not materialize, but if we take that ONE STEP and draw close to God, we are GUARANTEED His help and strength and power to do ALL that HE wants us to do! And remember, in God there is NO DARKNESS AT ALL! So, when we take that step, we must get rid of the darkness and step towards THE LIGHT!!!
If you’ll take one step
Toward the Savior, my friend,
You’ll find His arms open wide.
Receive Him, and all of your darkness will end
Within your heart He’ll abide.
Go ahead, take that step! Trust God with EVERYTHING!! It will be the BEST STEP you’ve EVER taken!! Of course, we must not stop with one step, but CONTINUE drawing closer and closer to Him everyday! But it DOES start with that ONE STEP!
“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)