Hebrews 10:22 (NKJV) 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Drawing near to God is a special divine invitation, and it’s the essence of Christianity. We are to pursue an intimate love with God daily. It is a divine invitation from the throne in a still voice. In it, we feel the incomprehensible and unconditional love of God saturating in us. We think of a caring Father’s tender and genuine passion in it. The author has tested the never-ending goodness of God, and indeed he can testify that it is good and endures forever. He has experienced the tangible results of drawing near to God and now invites us to draw near to God.
God cares about all sinners, and He is ready to pardon their sins, to reason together with them, to show them the marvellous light, to order their steps, to hold their hands, to shine His face in their spiritual journey and to walk with them. This reminds us that His blessings add no sorrow and makes one rich. Salvation is a spiritual blessing that will never add sorrow to anyone’s life. Instead, there is spiritual richness accompanied by drawing near to God. The author implores us to move closer to God, who knows and understands us more. He sees the end from the beginning. He knows the numbers of our hairs and keeps count of them.
The psalmist says, but it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all your works. He knew the hidden secret of God. In order to declare God’s works, he must draw near to God for God to impart and pour His word and will in him first. His insufficiency required the sufficiency of God. His weakness required the strength of God. We also need to draw near to God; first and foremost, this should be our priority before engaging in anything. When we draw near to God, we are assured of His salvation, sincerity, security, sanctification, strength and spiritual peace.
All these spiritual endowments are being lavished and bestowed upon us if only hearken unto His still voice. Jesus came to seek and save the lost that we may have life and life in abundance. That’s why He desires us to draw near to Him to obtain a fruitful, flourishing and fulfilled life as He is the true and primary source.
Because of His finished work on the cross, we can now enter boldly into His presence. But graciously, there are no curtains to hinder us. For example, the concept of drawing near to God was initially associated with the Levitical priests, Exodus 19:22, Leviticus 10:13 but eventually; it came to describe anyone’s approach to God because Jesus stood once and for all allowed us to access the throne (meaning to be able to draw near to God). The laws governing the priest under the Levitical system permit the priest to enter with an unblemished animal to offer the sacrifice of sins. But Jesus came with the (verification system) in Mathew 27:51, the curtain, the veil that blocked the entrance to the holiest place. Jesus stood once and for all as a perfect sacrifice. The tearing down of the veil meant that the way into God’s presence was now open to all. Through a new and living way, the good news is that we can now draw near to God freely through Jesus Christ. Salvation involves more than submitting to God and resisting the devil. The redeemed heart longs for daily communion with God.
Psalms 27:8 (NKJV) 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
Contributor
By Maxmiller Naliaka Mangeni (Kenya)
Minister
