draw near to god and he will draw near to you

James 4:8 ESV

In Your nearness

My alone-ness disappears

No longer trapped in longing

My soul can begin its song-ing

In the safety and removal of all my fears

Here rejection has no space to breathe

Here conditions are not required to receive

Only Presence, His and mine,

Enraptured in this place of sweet reprieve

The only absence is the hollow, dividing line

Poem by Joanna Hess

https://melodiesoflifepoetry.wordpress.com/

Drawn Near. What is sifting through my mind about this verse about drawing near to God and him drawing near to us. I have always thought of two things with this verse. One, as an artist and in a fun way thinking of literally drawing or painting next to God, as a play on words. This is true, but the meaning I have always heard preached over this verse has always bothered me…the idea that drawing close was conditional. Something did not sit right in my heart but I could not explain it, especially because I have only heard it taught that we must approach Him first, and the more we get near to him, the closer He will get to us. You can feel free to disagree with me, and please go test the word like a ‘Berean’ for yourself, but what started and stirred in my mind and heart from a song years ago, I finally searched out through the bible concordance tool called biblehub.com.

I believe a truth about this verse was planted subconsciously in my spirit, that I resonated with through the sound and words from the song Draw Near. Recently I finally, finally, did a short word study on the original meanings of each word through Strong’s concordance. From my perspective, what we usually read as to draw near, is a conditional sense of the words and in the future tense. This nearness based on my moving toward God as if He is standing there waiting for me to make the first move. In my observation the subtle, but very powerful nuance is actually that of the present+past tense meaning and a mutual “coming near/has come near” from both parties, if not His move first. As I said it is very subtle, but nowhere does it seem to imply the “sinner” moves first. In my understanding of Greek “eggizo”, which is used - it is a “presence” an “ It is here and current”- similar to two lovers meeting for an intimate embrace or a hug between long lost friends. Furthermore referring to this verse in the Aramaic understanding, the end of the verse can be translated “and he will be touching you”- also referencing a past tense understanding. He has gone before.

Later in the passage, the verse addresses “sinners cleansing their hands”. I looked closer to see it actually refers readers to hands as being figurative for “purpose and intentions”(verse 8) I believe that we are all only sinners until we are one with Christ. We are saints(according to how Paul addresses believers throughout the entire N.T.) that still can choose to sin, but it is not our new identity. I believe once we are one with Him, we have come near and cannot be separated. This coming near happened once and we are forever joined to Him. There is no striving for more closeness. It has happened. Our awareness of His nearness can grow exponentially, but the positional nearness cannot be changed. The mystery of the ages is revealed in us, the Hope of Glory. Incomprehensible, yet true. The verse goes on to address doublemindedness as a purity issue of heart and hands referred to. Now this verse is not talking about sin we usually think of in the flesh, but essentially a ‘spiritual schizophrenia’. In my understanding James is addressing a double mindedness about our position of nearness and utter forgiveness, our oneness with the Father. As severe as a mind sickness, split mind thinking must be cleansed. We were created for oneness with our Creator. The Creator of the universe. Doubting that creates a type of sickness of soul. So today, I encourage you to shed any doubts about your oneness with Christ, if you have joined your life with His, and walk in freedom and a new revelation of nearness to Him! You HAVE BEEN brought near. As you have come near Him, He has already drawn near to you. A mutual drawing near. I do not know about you, but this view radically changes how I see this verse and respond. I understand now why every time I heard the song Draw near, it resonated in my spirit before my mind understood what I was singing about from James 4:8;

Created from the heart of the Father through Jeremy Riddle;

Draw near to Me for I have drawn near to you.

Pull on the strings of my heart, for I long to respond to you.

All my love is for you, and all my love is yours.

All my love is for you, all my love is yours.

Draw near to me for I have drawn near to you.

Pull on the strings of My heart for I long to respond to you.

I’ve made a place for you here, so come on, so come on.

All things are possible here, so come on, come on.

I’ve made a place for you here, so come on, come on.

All things are possible here, so come on, come on, come on.

Draw near to Me for I have drawn near to you.

Pull on the strings of my heart for I long to respond to you.

As we are intimately near to Him, like a sound in the wind, a guitar waiting to release notes from heaven, He awaits our partnership. He makes the sound, He releases the beauty, but awaits our touch. He initiated. He is here. In intimacy and trust we create a sound so beautiful together in oneness it can shake the earth, change the world.

More verses about the nearness of God and

Our positional awareness, our privilege of nearness;

Hebrews 4:16

1 Peter 3:18

Hebrews 12:22

1 Corinthians 1:30

Blog