You hem me in behind and before, and you lay Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5

 In our bathroom, next to our shower, is a woven floor mat. It perfectly matches our shower curtain and towels.  Over time, the seams have loosened and it’s slowly unraveling. I’m sure we paid good money for it and will be a shame when it has to be thrown out and replaced.

 As I looked at that mat, Psalm 139:5 came to mind. As a child of God, you are sealed for the day of redemption. What a blessed assurance of your salvation. But with this comes the responsibility to stay engaged in your relationship with Jesus Christ. By doing so, you stay tight with the Lord and your life is folded into His perfect will and protection. When you don’t stay close to the Lord, your life tends to unravel, oftentimes rather quickly.

 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubled-minded. James 4:8

 If your life seems chaotic and everything in it seems to be unraveling, it’s a good time to evaluate your closeness to God. I specifically recall a time in my life when things were unraveling at a rapid pace, which eventually caught my attention and helped me refocus on God! Notice in the verse above, YOU are to draw near to God, not Him draw near to you. Why? Because He gives you “free will” to chose how you want to live. Will you live for God or live for yourself? If you answer for yourself, you will encounter much unwanted turmoil, regret, and your heart will eventually grow cold. Who wants to live in chaos? Not me!

 Stay tight with God! The things and people in your life will stay connected without the unraveling of living a lose life. God wants you to stay connected with Him! The choice is yours. Follow Him closely, as He hems you in, behind and before! God bless!