“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” James 4:8
In Pau’s letter to the Ephesian believers, he wrote: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (2:13) The subject of nearness to God has its prophetic, perpetual declaration throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament, HIs nearness is majestically and simply revealed, to be known by every believer in the body of Christ. It will be only, but certainly, by the blood of Christ that the nearness of God can be known. Nothing else in the entirety of creation can give a born-again sinner access to God but the presious blood of Christ. There is nothing so worthy, or of priceless value to the Father, than the perfect life of Christ His Son, offered up as a sacrifice for sin, demonstrated, proven, and confimed, in His shed blood. All other ways which man might conceive, or devise, are unacceptable to God. The basic reason for this is that God is Holy, and His unique and sole provision to deal with sin, and the sinner, is holy, only of Him, and for His glory. Nothing of sin or the sinner is accepted before God. Access to God is forbidden except by that precious blood. However, it must be understood and grasped that, though there is no other way than by the blood, to approach and be accepted by God, there is the certain, holy way, BY the blood of Christ, to with confidence draw nigh, or near to the Father.
There is another important element to consider when one desires to draw nigh to God, or know the nearness of God in reality. It is expressed again in Paul’s letter: “For through Him (Christ), we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (2:18) The blood of Christ gives to the believer “standing,” or acceptance before God. By the blood the believer is redeemed, bought or purchased, out of the slave market of sin. He is justified by the blood, having peace with God. A “new and living way” has been created for him to come to God, to draw nigh. The Eternal Spirit of God, given to the believer the day of his new birth, is that provision of God whereby the believer is strengthend in his faith, thus coming to God with thanksgiving and praise, approaching God, not only in full assurance of faith that He IS, but that He is a rewarder of those who diligenlty seek Him. In other words, God has provided His Spirit (the promise of the Father), so that the believer can come, not just hoping to draw near to God, but to actually be sure of God’s presence, peace, and power, the Lord drawing near.
It is at this point in our consideration of the matter of the Father’s nearness, and our approach to Him, that we need to ask, “And how am I to know this nearness to God? What is to be the experience and fruits of it? It is good to hear at this point Jesus’ words on prayer, to understand the privilege, power, and the certainty of the presence of God. The Lord has taught us: “…when you pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, who sees in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. 6:6) The Lord Jesus shows us the practical, and certain way of drawing nigh to God. He begins with the seeking heart who prays. He then calls the seeker to a quiet, private place, where he can be undistracted or uninterrupted. But it is in his address to God the Father, that nearness to God begins to become a reality, for Jesus reveals that we are to specifically direct our entire attention to our Father. With this earnestness and certainty of purpose, the believer is to be fully persuaded of two things: God sees him, and God will reward him manifestly. God will reveal His peace.
Dear Father, Bring us to Thyself. In Jesus’ name, Amen.