Three Steps – Number One
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
Three Steps – Number One
Draw – When James reflected on the desire of God, he thought of a passage in Isaiah: “because this people draws near to me with its mouth, and they honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). James saw immediately that drawing near to God must mean more than verbal pronouncements of praise and worship. Drawing near to God has little to do with outward religious practices. If we want God to draw near to us, the first requirement is to step toward Him.
The Greek verb, engizo, means “to come near or bring near”. In this phrase, “draw near to God”, the idea is to come into the place of worship. And worship entails surrender and submission. But the emphasis of this phrase is not on us. It is on the faithfulness of God who will always respond when we come surrendered to Him.
Once God said, “Do not come near” (Exodus 3:5). Holy ground separated Man from God. But that holy ground has been covered in the blood of the sacrificial lamb. God is no longer distant. The Kingdom of heaven is near. It’s right here, at hand. Who made it so? Jesus. He brings the Father so near that we can pray, Abba.
Discovering the presence of God among us is the great joy of life. Experiencing God in our midst is a life-altering event. And yet, He has been there all the time, waiting for us to make the move of coming near. The holy ground of Moses day was quickly set aside as the glory of God took residence among His children. Today He is no farther away than your next breath, your next thought, your next sensation.
One of the greatest promises of life is that God will draw near. How terrible the existence of those who do not know His presence, His comfort and the strength of His delight! What despair must accompany a life lived in superficial rituals or endless routines! Draw near, says God, and I will find you.
