The Importance Of Proximity

The Importance of Proximity

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Sitting around the dining room table one evening, several women and I chatted amicably as our husbands oversaw the making of gourmet homemade pizzas in the kitchen. As mothers of teenage daughters, our conversation naturally turned to friendship, specifically the hard parts of friendship.

As I listened to the other women share stories of deep friendships lost somewhere along the journey of life, a theme started to emerge about the importance of proximity. On occasion, we were able to maintain long-distance friendships, picking up where we last left off despite big gaps, staying in contact despite time and distance. But many times even the closest friendships had faded when we moved—and I heard genuine regret in the voices of those gathered around the table for friendships lost as life paths diverged.

That conversation echoed in my head in the days after, and I felt a gentle nudge in my spirit, a whisper in my soul that turned my thoughts to my own relationship with Christ with a quiet question: How often do I allow spiritual distance to slip between us, especially when life is relatively smooth sailing?

I winced, recognizing the truth in the revelation and in the consequences of spiritual distance from Christ. Scripture is clear: our striving, our best intentions, and our good works are meaningless apart from God. If I want to be a woman whose life reflects Jesus, it is essential that I remain in close proximity to him. I need to be in intimate relationship with him in much the same way I am with my closest friends: by listening, spending time together (reading Scripture, worship), and conversation (prayer).

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Examine your relationship with our Savior. Is it marked by both reverence and intimacy? If it is not, start with a prayer of repentance and carve out time for him alone.