Draw Near

As I’m sitting in front of the fire in my home, I look out the window and see large flakes of snow  coming out of the skies and adding layer upon layer to the eight or so inches already piled up. There is a neighbor outside diligently plowing our sidewalks for us. It isn’t an easy task; he has to back up and push into the piles of snow, over and over again. When my neighbors and I all come out of our homes to start the day, most of us will not know of the hard work this man put in for us to be able to walk in the neighborhood without being hindered by the snow or ice over the next several days. Some of us will even take for granted that our sidewalks are cleared for us, not acknowledging that someone must have done something that we should be thankful for, as if we deserve to be served in this way.

I think there are many times throughout our days is God working in our lives and we completely overlook it. One of the most amazing things in the Bible is that God asks us over and over again, to “draw near to Him”. This is the God of the universe speaking, the One who made you, the One who made everything around you in this world. Why should He want us to draw near to Him? However, as we do draw near to Him, we will see more clearly how He is working behind the scenes each and every day on our behalf.

The irony is that we long to draw near to God and yet we reject Him and go after worldly desires. As girls, we grew up watching fairy tales and hallmark movies, dreaming about and longing for that perfect prince to see our imperfect, poor, humble selves and choose us. As boys, possibly you longed for the woman that you could be the hero to, that would worship the ground you walked on. But as you grew up and recognized your brokenness,  as in the movie Me Before You, maybe you desired the type of woman that graciously cared for and fell in love with the man in the wheelchair, broken as he was.

God is that perfect prince, that gracious woman, the perfect relationship that we have longed for…and He is choosing you and asking you to draw near to Him. How can we respond to His request that we draw near to Him?

One way to draw near to Him is to keep our eyes open for ways that He is working to clear the path for us, and then acknowledge His work and be thankful when we recognize it. Sometimes I schedule things so tightly in my day, going from one thing to the next. On those days, there isn’t a moment to see the many ways He is working all around me. It’s when I slow down and talk with Him throughout each thing that comes my way, that I can quickly recognize His work on my behalf and on the behalf of those around me.

Drawing near to Him is sometimes a matter of simply recognizing our need for Him and seeking Him for help. John Piper says that drawing near to God is “an invisible act of the heart.” It isn’t in our actions to try to do the right thing, it’s in pursuing relationship with Him. In relationship with Him is where we find that peace that surpasses understanding.

Don’t take for granted the paths that have been cleared before you. Slow down to see what God is doing, He is working on your behalf. Remember how much He loves you and gives grace to you. Look around you today, see what He has done, acknowledge your need for Him, talk with Him, commune with Him, ask Him to help you, thank Him…draw near to Him.