Draw Near To God
Psalm 16:11b
In thy presence is fullness of joy...
Psalm 74:28 (KJV)
It is good for me to draw near to God.
Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Hebrews 11:6b
Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Thomas à Kempis The Imitation of Christ
In confidence of Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near unto Thee, as a sick person to the Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, a creature to the Creator, a desolate soul to my own tender Comforter. Behold, in Thee is all whatsoever I can or ought to desire; Thou art my Salvation and my Redemption, my Hope and my Strength. Rejoice therefore this day the soul of Thy servant; for unto Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.
Richard Sibbes
The Saint's Happiness adapted in Voices From The Past - Puritan Devotional Readings
Carnal reasoning will tell you that God does not see or govern, but has left the earth. But as we go into the presence of God we learn that all things are beautiful in their time (Ecclesiates 3:11). All of God's ways are merciful and true though we might feel much forsaken at the present. The Holy Spirit teaches us to see that God is our best friend, and that he will neve forsake us.
God fills the whole earth and heaven with his presence. He is always present in power and providence by his Spirit in supporting, comforting, and strengthening the hearts of his children. God alone can fill every corner of the soul of man. God is a fountain that will never run dry.
If it is good to be near God, then the nearer we are to him, makes it even better. Man must not neglect God for any reason, and it is good to lose all for God. Why? because we have riches in him, liberty in him, and all in him. A man may be a king on earth, and yet a prisoner in himself. If we lose anything, even our own life for God, we shall save it.
Taste and see how good God is! (Psalm 34:8). How excellent is your lovingkindness, which you have laid up for them that fear you! (Psalm 36:7). 'How precious to me are you thoughts, O God!' (Psalm 139:17).
Labour to be near to him. God is near to all that call upon him. There is not a minute of time in all of our life but we must either be near to God or we will be undone. We must grow in our understanding and fill our thought with him. The soul is never at rest till it rests in him. The soul grows in the Spirit and finds sweet communion. Our affections mount up in prayer as in a fiery chariot to hear him speak to us, seeking comfort in our distresses.
Draw near to him in praise. This is the daily work of the angels and saints in heaven. Let us lift up our hearts with joy inexpressible (1 Peter 1:8).
David's Conclusion; or, The Saint's Resolution (1639) on Psalm 74:28 "But it is good for me to draw near to God."
God's children are swimming upstream and live contrary to the course of the world. They are living among men, and live as men do, but are moving in a different direction than the world, and are carried along by the Holy Spirit. Others may take whatever course they desire, but let us take this course: to draw near to God.
Drawing near to God is our chief good. It is our happiness to seek him. The nearer anything is to the principle of something, the better off it is. Nearer to the sun, the more light; nearer to the fire, the more heat; nearer to goodness, the more good; nearer to happiness, the more happiness.
"It is good"; that is, it puts in us a blessed quality and disposition. It makes a man to be like God himself; and, secondly, it is good, that is, it is comfortable; for it is the happiness of the creature to be near the Creator; it is beneficial and helpful. To draw near. How can a man but be near to God, seeing he filleth heaven and earth: "Whither shall I go from thy presence?" Psalms 139:7. He is present always in power and providence in all places, but graciously present with some by his Spirit, supporting, comforting, strengthening the heart of a good man. As the soul is said to be tota in toto, in several parts by several faculties, so God, is present to all, but in a diverse manner.
Now we are said to be near to God in diverse degrees: first, when our understanding is enlightened; intellectus est veritatis sponsa; and so the young man speaking discreetly in things concerning God, is said not to be far from the kingdom of God, Mark 12:34.
Secondly, in minding: when God is present to our minds, so that the soul is said to be present to that which it minds; contrarily it is said of the wicked, that "God is not in all their thoughts," Psalms 10:4.
Thirdly, when the will upon the discovery of the understanding comes to choose the better part, and is drawn from that choice to cleave to him, as it was said of Jonathan's heart, "it was knit to David," 1 Samuel 18:1.
Fourthly, when our whole affections are carried to God, loving him as the chief good. Love is the firstborn affection. That breeds desire of communion with God. Thence comes joy in him, so that the soul pants after God, "as the hart after the water springs," Psalms 41:1.
Fifthly, and especially, when the soul is touched with the Spirit of God working faith, stirring up dependence, confidence, and trust on God. Hence ariseth sweet communion. The soul is never at rest till it rests on him. Then it is afraid to break with him or to displease him; but it groweth zealous and resolute, and hot in love, stiff in good cases; resolute against his enemies. And yet this is not all, for God will have also the outward man, so as the whole man must present itself before God in word, in sacraments; speak of him and to him with reverence, and yet with strength of affection mounting up in prayer, as in a fiery chariot; hear him speak to us; consulting with his oracles; fetching comforts against distresses, directions against maladies.
Sixthly, and especially, we draw near to him when we praise him; for this is the work of the souls departed, and of the angels in heaven, that are continually near unto him. The prophet here saith, "It is good for me". How came he to know this? Why, he had found it by experience, and by it he was thoroughly convinced.
Thomas Manton A Practical Exposition of James
Sin is departing from God; grace is returning. Come near to him, aim for the support of his presence; Christ is the way, but you must resolve upon it: I must and I will. “Your face, Lord, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8); there must be a concern to bring the soul to this resolve. Note what it says in Jeremiah 30:21 “‘I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the Lord.” But will you devote yourselves? A practical commandment arises from conviction of the necessity and excellence of the duty; as David says, “It is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28)
There is one doubtful point in the text that must be cleared up before we go any further, arising from the use of the phrase come near to God, as if it were in our own power.
First, this passage and similar ones show not what man wants to do but what he ought to do. We left God before he left us; we should be the first to return, as we were the first to leave. The wronged party may in justice wait for us to submit. Yet such is the Lord’s kindness that He loves us first (1 John 4:19).
Second, commandments are not measures of our strength; it is not valid to argue from what ought to be done that it can or will be done. These things are expressed in this way for another purpose: to show God’s right, to convince the creature of weakness, to show us our duty, to show us that we should do our utmost, and to convince us of the things we have failed to do.
Third, these precepts convey grace to those who are chosen. God fulfills what He commands, for, by means of the Spirit working with them, they are stirred up and made to come near to God...
I shall conclude with Bernard’s (of Clairvaux) wonderful saying: “We cannot seek God until we have found him; he wants to be sought in order that he may be found, and found in order that he may be sought: it is grace that must bring us to grace.” The stray sheep cannot be brought home unless it is on Christ’s shoulders...
Coming near to God (aorist imperative) is not something we must do for an hour, it is not something appropriate merely when we are converted, but it is the work of our whole lives.
God will make us find that He is near to us by His favor and blessing. We have a similar promise in Zechariah 1:3 “‘Return to Me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you.’”
The way to have God turn to us in mercy is to turn to Him in duty. This is the standing law of heaven, and God will not vary from it; it is the best way for God’s glory and for the creatures’ good. Mercies are most delightful and good to us when we are prepared for them by duty. Do not, then, separate mercy from duty. Expectations in God’s way cannot be disappointed. Ephraim wanted blessings but could not endure the yoke of obedience. We are apt to lie upon the bed of ease and complacently look to see what God will do, but will not stir ourselves to do what we should do.
God will be near those who are careful to hold communion with him. “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). Near to bless, to comfort, to give life, to guide, to support them. Let this encourage us to come to God—indeed, to run to him.
The father ran to meet the returning prodigal (Luke 15:20). God will be first with loving-kindness: “You will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I” (Isaiah 58:9). God says, in effect, “What have you to say to me? What do you want from me? Here am I to satisfy all your desires.” Elsewhere it says, “Before they call I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24).
When we apply ourselves to seeking God, he is near to counsel, to give life, to defend—ready with blessing before our imperfect desires can be formed into requests.
C.H. Spurgeon The Treasury of David
The greater our nearness to God, the less we are affected by the attractions and distractions of earth. Access into the most holy place is a great privilege, and a cure for a multitude of ills. It is good for all saints, it is good for me in particular; it is always good, and always will be good for me to approach the greatest good, the source of all good, even God himself.
Andrew Bonar, Diary and Letters, Jan. 3, 1856
https://books.google.com/books?id=2ScNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA173&lpg
I have been endeavouring to keep up prayer at this season every hour of the day, stopping my occupation, whatever it is, to pray a little, seeking thus to keep my soul within the shadow of the throne of grace and Him that sits thereon.
Ezekiel Hopkins "On Glorifying God in His Attributes"
God is present with thee wheresoever thou art, and as much within thee as thy soul is in thy body. He is not a God afar off; but he is near unto thee, even in thy heart, and in the very centre of thy being; and therefore thou mayest converse with him, by the silent whispers of thy thoughts.
William Guthrie
In a word, to "draw near unto God" is to make our peace with him, and to secure and confirm that peace with him, and to study a conformity unto him, and to be near unto him in our walk and conversation; in our fellowship, and whole carriage, and deportment, to be always near unto him.
Octavius Winslow Daily Walking With God on 1 John 4:8 "God is love."
Having at such an infinite cost opened a channel; even through the smitten heart of His beloved Son; through which His mercy may flow boundless and free, venture near, nothing doubting. No feature of your case is discouraging, or can possibly arrest the pardon. Your age, your protracted rebellion against God, your long life of indifference to the concerns of your soul, the turpitude and number of your sins, your lack of deep convictions or of stronger faith, nor worth or worthiness to recommend you to His favor; are no true impediments to your approach, are no pleas why you should not draw near...
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Faith on Trial
Every time we take a step in the direction of God, God will take a step in our direction. (James 4:8) If we approach Him truly, if we approach Him honestly, we can always be certain that God will meet us.
It is only when I am near to God in Christ that I know my sins are forgiven. I feel His love, I know I am Hid child and I enjoy the priceless blessings of peace with God and peace within and peace with others. I am given a joy that the world can neither give nor take away.
Enjoying the Presence of God
The more we know [God's Word] and read it, the more it will take us into the presence of God. So if you want to set the Lord always before you, spend much of your time with regular daily reading of the Bible.
A.W. Tozer The Divine Conquest
Whatever else it embraces, true Christian experience must always include a genuine encounter with God. Without this, religion is but a shadow, a reflection of reality, a cheap copy of an original once enjoyed by someone else of whom we have heard. It cannot but be a major tragedy in the life of any man to live in a church from childhood to old age and know nothing more real than some synthetic god compounded of theology and logic, but having no eyes to see, no ears to hear, and no heart to love.