Nancy Wilson
James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
In this season, I believe God is saying, “Come closer.”
How do we come closer?
In September, CF students went on a weekend retreat called Burn, taken from Luke 24:32: “Did not our hearts burn within us on the way while He (the resurrected Jesus) opened the Scripture to us?” That weekend, without any prompting, students came to the altar – falling on their knees, weeping, standing with their arms around those who had felt unseen. As they shared testimonies, I immediately thought, I want that for our whole church!
Throughout scripture, when there was a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it began with individuals beholding the Lord and falling on their knees before Him. A beautiful example of this is in I Kings 8 at the dedication of the Temple. King Solomon had it built for God, and in verses 10-11, we read “a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so the priests could not stand before the Presence of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” Then, in verse 54, King Solomon finishes his prayer “before the altar of the Lord, where He had knelt with hands outstretched toward Heaven.”
What would Sunday morning at CF look like if, before the service even began, people were on their knees all over the auditorium, beholding the power and Presence of the Lord?
“Come closer, my child, yes, come closer,” the Lord says. “You are seen. You are loved. I know your burdens. I am with you. I know your name. You have a new identity in Me.”
What would happen if we behold Him before we withhold for Him? Beholding Him first surpasses anything we can give up – coffee, dessert, full meals, social media. All of it pales in comparison. When we behold before we withhold, sacrifice no longer feels heavy; it becomes a privilege! And God will guide even our sacrifice for Him.
“Yes, come closer,” Jesus invites us.
There’s an old hymn, written by a blind woman over 100 years ago, that captures this truth beautifully:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus (Behold Him)
Look full in His wonderful face (Behold Him)
And the things of earth (burdens, illness, loss, hard times, sacrifice)
will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
Listening Prompt
How can you “come closer” to God during this season?
How would kneeling (if able) benefit our personal devotion times and corporate worship at CF?
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God.
