Draw Near to Him

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. James 4:8a

Often, God’s initiation is hidden. We don’t see it, consciously experience it, or recognize it when He is, in fact, active. 

 

Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them.

(Hosea 11:3)   

We are commanded to consciously remain in the Messiah’s love as a branch abides in a vine (John 15:9). To abide we must, through trust, consciously inhabit His heart. This is part of the foundation of drawing near to God. 

Those who abide in Jesus’ love know this to be true: Branches do not strive to be connected. They stay connected through receiving the life of the vine. The branch “drinks” the life of the vine.

Similarly, God’s love is like a fountain from which we might drink. At times we have to adjust our souls to drink from that fountain. We must arise, go to Jesus and drink.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” ( John 7:37-38)

We approach Him because we’re thirsty. Thirsting for the experience of God and His love is not uncommon. 

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:2)

Our spiritual thirst is part of God’s hidden pursuing initiation. It is part of His drawing us. We respond to the secret stimulus of spiritual lack by drawing near to Him. In spiritual seasons where it does not seem like God is pursuing us, we need to pursue God. How? Call to Him.

Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)

Call to Him and ASK.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Another way we might pursue God is through resting and waiting for Him as we expectantly lift our voices to our Father and Friend in worship songs.

But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. … For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God. (Psalm 71:14; 38:15)

Sometimes our presuppositions about how the Lord must answer stop us from knowing Him even when He’s standing right in front of us. 

Supposing (Jesus) to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (John 20:15b)

Ultimately, God reveals Himself to those who trust Him. Let’s draw near to God and ask Him to open our eyes to the reality of His love and trust that He will answer.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened … and thus to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 1:18a; 3:19)

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Also, David wrote a book about God’s love for the Jewish People called, For the Sake of the Fathers

Check out David’s new worship album, Looking for a City