Come close to God, and God will come close to you. James 4:8 (NLT)
God does not want us to just come to him, He wants us to come closer. Why are so many of us afraid to come closer to God? Is it because we do not believe that he is approachable? Do we think that we would feel out of place close to God? Or are we comfortable with our worldly dalliances?
Fear is certainly a factor in our unwillingness to draw closer to God. Yet, he is always calling for us to join him and know him more intimately. There are requirements for coming close to God: The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NLT)
We must come to him without pretense, but in humility and truth. Whether or not we are close to God, nothing is hidden from him. He sees and knows us from afar. We can only know him when we are willing to come close. This can be terrifying and leave us with a sense of vulnerability. When Isaiah was in the presence of God, he said that he was “undone.”
When we realize that God knows all about us whether we are near or far, we see that there are only advantages to drawing close to him. Paul said: I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. Philippians 3:10 (NLT) Intimacy requires nearness. How can we come close to God?
Come Close to the Heart of Jesus
Peter turned and saw, following them, the disciple that Jesus loved. This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus’ chest at the supper… John 21:20 (BFE)
The importance of an infant bonding with its parents is well understood. Usually, every effort is made to get a newborn into the arms of its mother as soon as possible. Instinctively, this has always been true, but it is now confirmed by science.
Jesus loved all of his disciples, just as he loves us. There was a special bond between Jesus and John. We can understand how it might be intimidating to be in such close proximity to the Savior. John positioned himself close to the heart of Jesus.
When we speak of coming close to the heart of Jesus, John had the advantage of close physical proximity. We can approach the heart of Jesus because the Holy Spirit makes it possible. Attachment comes when we remain in the Vine. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15:4 (NLT)
We can always be close to the heart of Jesus if that is what we desire. The Psalmist said: Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:7–8 (NLT)
Why did John have an intimate relationship with Jesus? It was because that was his heart’s desire. We too can be as close to the heart of Jesus as our hearts desire. We must pull away from the world and focus on the one we love.
Come Close to the Cross
Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple he specially loved, standing there. John 19:26 (BFE)
John’s Gospel gives us details of the crucifixion that are absent from other accounts because he remained close. While other disciples fled, John came near the cross. Although it is only in John’s Gospel that we read that he was the disciple that Jesus loved, it is hard to deny that there was a special bond.
John’s writings, particularly his first letter, reveal a depth of understanding that could only come by remaining close to Jesus: Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us. 1 John 4:19 (TPT) Also: This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NLT)
The cross is not a popular subject. It was a sign of shame and rejection. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3:13 (NLT)
When we come close to the cross, we see how much God loves us: He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14 (NLT)
We embrace and come close to the cross because it is there that God demonstrated his love for us. The cross is the heart of the gospel message, and we must not be ashamed. A hymn writer once said, “I love that old cross…”
I Long for You
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Psalm 42:1–2 (NLT)
Are we convinced that we can be as close to God as we want to be? James told us that if we come close to God, he will come close to us. Are we content to have a relationship with Jesus while standing in the distance? If not, how do we come closer?
It is really not a mystery. We draw near to God through prayer, through the Word, and through worship. Remember, prayer is not just talking but listening for his voice as well. Do we desire his word which is sweeter than honey? Psalm 22:3 reminds us that he dwells within our praises.
There is no such thing as close enough. No matter how close we are we can still come closer. We must keep pressing closer to Jesus.
Steve Ekeroth