DRAWING NEAR

 James 4:8 (NIV)

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

               In my devotions today I read the introduction to C.S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves. He set the stage for his exploration of love, but he also introduced an interesting concept that I would like to explore.

               Lewis makes the point that there is a difference between nearness-by-likeness and nearness-by-approach. We might best understand this idea by looking at the relationship between a father and son. When people look at a father and son they will notice the likeness of appearance. When I have been with one of my sons, people often say that they can tell that we are related. This is nearness-by-likeness. But a father and son may or may not be near to one another. They may be estranged or very close. My son and I have begun meeting for breakfast on a semi-regular basis. We are growing in nearness-by-approach. Nearness-by-likeness is relatively static. Nearness-by-approach is dynamic. It can move in both directions. Two people may draw closer to one another, or they may draw away from one another.

               The idea of nearness-by-likeness and nearness-by-approach is an important concept in our relationship with God. By virtue of being human beings, we all reflect a likeness to God. Genesis 2 tells us that God created us in His likeness. Every human being carries this likeness within himself or herself. Our ability to reason and create and manipulate our world are all reflections of our likeness to God. Whether we acknowledge God or not, we still are near to Him in likeness. This is the sense when people say that we are all children of God.

               But being near to God by approach is something completely different. Although we may all have been created in God’s image, just as my children were created in my image, we are not all near to God or even drawing closer to God. Being near to God by approach takes intentionality and effort. First, it means having a real, personal relationship with God. This can be only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it clear that the path to nearness with God goes through Him. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV) But it does not stop at this point. Drawing near to God is a process, which theologians call sanctification. In layman’s terms it means becoming more like God in our thoughts, our desires, and our actions. There is nothing passive or automatic about drawing near to God.

               The way that we get closer to another person is by spending time with them and getting to know them on a deeper level. The same is true in our relationship with God. The only way to get closer to Him is to spend time with Him and get to know Him on a deeper level. We do this in three ways, which are all interconnected. We draw near to God through the study of His word, the Bible. The more that we immerse ourselves in the Word of God the more we get to know Him. The Bible has the power to transform our lives. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

               A close relationship with another person is more than just knowing things about them. It is in a sense becoming like them. Friends tend to shape each other. As it says in Proverbs 27:17 (NIV). As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. They begin to think alike and act alike. They are able to dialog on a deeper level. In the same way, just reading the Bible is not enough. We need to apply what we are learning to our everyday lives. We need to allow the Word of God to guide our thoughts and our actions. Application is essential if we are going to truly be like God. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV)

               There is a last aspect of drawing near to God. It is prayer. If a relationship is going to progress beyond being superficial, it will require that people share their thoughts, dreams, and opinions with one another. Spending time together can bring us closer to another person, but talking together takes us to a deeper level. Throughout the New Testament we are encouraged to talk with God. In fact, Paul tells us that we should pray without ceasing. Prayer is far more than giving God our laundry list of wants. Genuine prayer is a time to open our hearts to God. To express our failures, to celebrate God’s goodness, to share our desires and plans. Prayer is our response to God reaching out to us and inviting us into relationship with Him.

               We all, in one way or another, reflect the image of God. We are all near to God in likeness. But we are not all near to God in approach. It is only as we intentionally reach out to God and invite Him into our lives that we really become His children and co-heirs of His kingdom with Christ.

Hebrews 10:19-23 (NIV)
Therefore, brothers, 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 in full assurance of faith, 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.

THE DESIRE TO BE KNOWN

 

1 Corinthians 8:3 (NIV)
But the man who loves God is known by God.

               Not too long ago I attended a conference for ministry leaders. I knew two of the main speakers, so after one of the lessons I approached one of those men. I immediately introduced myself, not wanting to assume that the man would remember my name. His immediate response was, I know who you are. There is something powerful about being known.

               There is a big difference between someone recognizing you and someone really knowing you. There are many people who know my name, and may even know somethings about me, but they don’t really know me. There are many people that I know in a superficial way, but I don’t really know them in a significant way.

               Several years ago, I led a group of men from my church on a weekend, backpacking trip. After the trip was over one of the men made a comment that has stuck with me even since. He said that before the trip he knew me as Pastor Dave. Now he knows me as Dave. Because we had shared that experience together, this man moved from knowing me from a distance to knowing me more personally.

               There is a desire within each of us to be known, to be recognized, to be valued. So many of our relationships are superficial, surface level relationships. People know our name, but we don’t feel truly known. It is possible for us to be surrounded be people and still fell utterly alone and unrecognized.

               This desire that we have to be known goes even deeper than connecting with other people. We want to be known on a much deeper level by God. We all want to know that our life matters. We all want to know that our efforts count for something. We all want to be recognized in a deep and profound way.

               Jesus came into the world to offer us that kind of relationship with God. Before Jesus came, the Jewish people knew about God, but from a distance. As a people in general they felt that God knew them, but not as individuals. Although they may have believed that God cared about the welfare of the nation, they didn’t sense that God cared about them as individuals. Jesus came to change that.

               During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He focused His attention on individual people. He could have gone the political route and established His rule and reign in Jerusalem, but He did not. He could have gone the religious route and established Himself as the High Priest in the Temple. But instead, He took the personal route of seeing and caring for people who felt neglected, overlooked, and unimportant. I think one of the things that drew the common people to Jesus was that, in His presence, a person felt seen, heard, and valued.

               By coming to earth in the form of a man, Jesus invited us to really know Him, but also to be known by Him. In the opening chapter of John’s Gospel, he makes a powerful statement. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-2,14 By coming to earth Jesus revealed the very nature and character to God in ways that it had never been done before. Jesus was inviting people to really know Him, not just know about Him. Then in I John, John talks about the very personal nature of his relationship with Jesus. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 1 John 1:1-2

               The greatest desire that we all have is to move from knowing about Jesus from a distance to being known by Jesus in a personal, intimate way, as John knew Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just know about us; He knows us as a friend. When we put our faith in Jesus, we move from a vague image of a God out there somewhere to a personal relationship with the God who is present in our lives.

               Jesus is not calling us to conform to some religious system. Jesus is inviting us into a relationship in which we can know Him and be known by Him. Jesus makes it very clear that it is not enough to know about God, but we need to know Him personally. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)

               We don’t have to settle for knowing about God from a distance. Through faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, we can know Him and be known by Him.

John 10:14 (NIV)
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—"