Dear Ones:
The logical question that needs to be asked concerning “drawing near to God” is: How can one draw near to God when Christ is already in the heart by the Spirit, and omnipresent (in every place at all times…)? James writes: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:8) The author of the epistle to the Hebrews wrote: “Let us draw near, (…entrance into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus… Heb. 10:19), (…unto the throne of grace…Heb. 4:16), with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Heb. 10:22) How is it possible to enter the holiest of all, coming before the throne of grace…and yet have feet of clay upon this rock that we call earth? It is because that God makes Himself available to be known. Jesus said in John’s gospel, “…he that loveth Me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (Jn. 14:21) Again, what does this mean, and how is it possible?
In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 6, we read: “…pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (v.6) What is God doing here? First of all, He is looking for a certain kind of heart attitude. We see here by the passage that here is an individual who is seeking God, and praying with the expectation that God “in secret” will reward, or answer openly, clearly. This person is drawing nigh to God by his seeking of God, and God is allowing Himself to be sought and found. “He is a Rewarder of those who (diligently) seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)
In the passages in Hebrews (Chapt. 4, 10), we see the second reason for which God “draws nigh” to the one who draws nigh to Him. In Heb. 4:16 we discover that the way to God is the way of obtaining mercy, and finding grace. What does “mercy” mean? It is a word which means that God allows himself to be found by those, for whom there is NO reason to do so. Indeed, because we are naturally “enemies” of God, there is every reason NOT to allow Himself to be found. Mercy is that attitude of God which looks beyond every semblance of merit, and every logical reason for intervening in the life. The only explanation that God would show mercy and grace to us is that He is love. The second basis for coming to God His way is to realize that He deals with us ALWAYS on the basis of unmerited favor. NOTHING we can Do, of our own accord, and indepently of Him, can merit His pleasure or blessing. To draw nigh to Him is to do so with this attitude: “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”
The knowledge of the mercy and grace of God are essential if we would have confidence before God. But there are two more things that are essential if we are come BOLDLY, with full assurance. The first is the knowledge of our compassionate “INTERMEDIARY” between us and God who is perfect, and has identified Himself with us in our weakness, suffering the effects of sin, and is thus able and willing to meet us where we are. He comes to meet us; He comes to greet us; He comes to present us to the Father. Secondly, the blood of Christ is the ONE and only means, provision, by which we can come before a holy God. It is the ONLY basis for forgiveness, justification, …peace with God. It is as we grasp the significance of the power of the blood of Christ, that our confidence before God increases, and we come boldly into His presence…to draw nigh, KNOWING and BELIEVING, that He draws nigh to us.
Dear Lord, grant to us this day to understand Thy ways, specifically the meaning of this “new and living way.” Open our eyes to see Thy mercy and grace, and what these terms mean. Open our eyes to see our great High Priest, this blessed intermediary between the Father and us. And finally, grant us to see the preciousness, and the power of the blood of Christ. Strengthen our hearts today, in the quiet place, to draw nigh to God, knowing that the Father who sees in secret, with the Son, by the Spirit, will draw nigh to us. Amen.
Love, Dad