Drawing Near...

In the Bible is an interesting statement:  “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”  (James 4:8a)  Interesting, because so much of the Bible clearly indicates that it is God who has taken the initiative to draw us to Himself.  Didn’t Jesus say, “If I be lifted up,” speaking of His death on the cross, “I will draw all men to me?”  And aren’t the Scriptures full of stories and examples of God’s pursuing love that reached out to the people of Israel in spite of their rejection and stubbornness of heart to obey Him? 

Various prophets were commissioned by the Lord over many generations to warn the people of imminent judgment and to call them back to Himself before it was too late.  Among them He chose Jeremiah, known as the “weeping prophet,” because of his broken heart for his unrepentant nation.

Again, Jesus himself lamented over His willful people, “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.” (Matthew 23:37)

But that still doesn’t fully answer the seeming dilemma of who makes the first move in drawing near.  And we might also want to ask if the opposite is also true?  If we turn away from God, will He also turn away from us?

A brief look at both Biblical and secular history reveals that the nation of Israel suffered judgment repeatedly for turning away from God only to be restored when they earnestly cried out (drew near) to Him.  As to us as individuals, Psalm 14 makes it clear that the initiative in drawing near cannot come from us.  Beginning in verse 2, it says, “The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  They have all turned aside…”

But one thing stands out in all this:  the incredible longsuffering and patience of the Lord toward us.  The Apostle Paul expressed it this way, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”  (Romans 2:4) 

And the Apostle Peter, desiring to dispel the notion that because God’s judgment seems delayed it is not coming at all, wrote, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  But, make no mistake, Peter is quick to add, there is a time for ultimate judgment and accountability that “will come like a thief.”  A time comes when even God’s patience ends.  (2 Peter 3:9, 10)

So then, we can conclude that drawing near to God to be able to have fellowship and communication with Him is not our initiative, but rather is a faith response to the invitation He continually extends to us that we may accept at any time.  Jesus, lovingly invites us to, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28)