A Closer Look
By: James Scarborough, Pastor Donalsonville Assembly of God

July is a special month, not because of the heat or the gnats, or even because school resumes this month. It is special because of the birthday of a very special person in my life. On July 24 in a certain year that I refuse to reveal in this writing, my wife was born. It is interesting how paths cross that result in lifetime relationships. Gale was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and spent most of her growing up years near Athens, Georgia. Even though I grew up about 40 miles from Athens, I had no idea she was even in the world until we met in high school after she moved to Elbert County, where I lived at the time.

I still remember the beautiful 16-year-old that caught my eye in the school cafeteria. Without a doubt, she is just as beautiful to me today. But what we share today was not born full grown the day we met. We have spent three decades investing in each other. We have weathered the storms of life together as we raised our family, moved from place to place to pastor, experienced sickness, and the various surprises that life brings. Yet, as we have relied upon God and consistently loved and trusted each other, we have grown closer together with the passing of time and circumstances.

The maturing of our love for one another as husband and wife also reminds me of the higher relationship that everyone is called to. That is, our spiritual relationship with God. It, too, must be a growing and maturing relationship if we expect to be pleasing to Him. I recently read a book that had a chapter about closeness with God. The author, Rev. Randy Valimont, stated very accurately that as we walk in intimacy with God, He reveals Himself to us, and as we obey what He reveals to us, we will experience His blessings in an abundant way.

Moses was an Old Testament character who knew God very personally, yet he had a desire and determination to know God even more. He had seen the glorious presence of God as the Lord spoke to him through a bush that was ablaze, yet it was not consumed by the fire (Exodus 3). He had experienced the mighty power of God as the Red Sea parted, enabling him to lead the Israelites across on dry ground (Exodus 14). Yet he desired to know God more, and his request to God in Exodus 33:18 was, "Now show me Your glory" (NIV). What was God's reply? "And the Lord said, 'I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion'" (verse 19). Indeed, God blesses those who seek to know Him intimately.

Relationships are worth nurturing. And there are no relationships more worthy to invest in than relationship with God and relationship with spouse.

Now just a closing statement to Gale on her birthday: "Happy birthday, my love! Thanks for spending your life walking close to me."