Draw Near to Me
// Charlie DeTellis
We all need to stay close to God, especially during these times of instability and uncertainty.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. ”
One can feel loneliness even when having great success. People need people, and people need God. I recently thought of this verse for myself, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8a) For me, this verse speaks of God’s love and presence. Love is the foundation of the Christian faith. We are all in need of God’s love and love from others. God is not difficult to be found; He is everywhere. It’s like steering a boat and following a compass course. We need to keep our hands on the wheel and often return to a true course. All of us are instructed to be submissive to God, to cleanse our hands, and to purify our hearts. We are also promised we will be lifted up when we humble ourselves. We can come to God anytime and in any condition (paraphrase of James 4:7-10).
God has a good word for us when we come to Him. Our God is a God of restoration, redemption, and admonition. The Israelites were instructed to call upon the Lord and to seek after God while they were in captivity. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God has a great plan for all believers. The Israelites had Israel as their Promised Land. As Christians, we have a “promised land” which outshines the sun. We need to accept these words for the Israelites as our own.
Reading God’s Word is an excellent way to stay close to God. It should be a daily discipline where we discover the character of God and the truth of His law and love. We should feel relaxed in God’s presence while we have our quiet times with Him. We need to find portions of the Bible that speak to us in the moment, and write these words upon our hearts and minds.
Having a regular prayer life is essential for staying close to God. It is easy to be busy in life and distracted by work or hobbies. We must not forget the importance of our quiet time with Him. God is in control regarding everything in the world, so we should not be anxious when we hear of distressing things happening in our country and worldwide. Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” (Matthew 6:34a) We need to seek God in order to be strong in body, mind, and spirit.
Staying in fellowship with other believers is essential for staying close to God. Of course, it is fine having friends who are not believers, as we are to be a light and a witness to the people around us. We also need other believers who will build us up in our faith. The acts of reading God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship will help build our faith and make us sensitive to the Holy Spirit in our lives. I agree when the Psalmist said in chapter 73 verse 28, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds.” ~Charlie DeTellis
