DRAW NEAR

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.”

Isaiah 46:11-13

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I don’t know about you but one of the greatest comforts I have in my life is knowing that the Lord is always near me. No matter what life might bring my way, I can ever count on Him to be there with me, celebrating my victories, sharing my sorrows and offering me comfort, embracing me when I need loved, giving me guidance and direction when I need it, and placing His covering of protection over me. There is nowhere I can go where I am out of His sight and care. Nowhere.

Just in case anyone might question this assertion of mine, I offer the word of the Lord from the 145th Psalm and the 4th chapter of James:

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8a

Call on the Lord, seek His presence in your life, and He will draw near to you and become your refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). This is a promise from God’s holy word and there is not one of His promises that He fails to keep.  

Asaph, a Levite and leader in King David’s choirs, put this truth into practice in his life in the midst of many who refused to believe in God. He shared his testimony based on that experience in the 73rd Psalm:

Those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. Psalm 73:27-28a

As we look at today’s scripture passage and the closing verses of Isaiah 46, we find the Lord Himself with something to say about the impact of His nearness to us. Look at His words

“From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.”  Isaiah 46:11-13

The prior verse from James assures us that if we come near to God, He will come near to us and when He does He brings His righteousness and salvation our way. We find the Lord’s richest blessings in our communion with Him and the riches found in the outflow and overflow of that relationship. Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you, saving you and showing you the right way to live. He will also bring you a peace and comfort that cannot be found anywhere else but in Him. Look at these words from Philippians:

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:5b-7

Righteousness. Refuge. Peace. Salvation.

All of these things and so much more become ours when we simply draw near to a God who longs to be near us. When we do and experience the fullness of the Lord’s bountiful grace, love, and mercy, then we can be in full agreement with the words of the Apostle Paul and these words He wrote to the Hebrew Christians:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:19-24

Living near to the Lord is akin to living in hope, now and forever, for the One we draw near to is faithful and good and true in all His ways. Will you join me in celebrating this today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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