"Restoration of fellowship with God has been the divine purpose and the often-unrecognized longing of humanity since its loss in Eden."
Gareth Lee Cockerill
God drawing near to us and us drawing near to Him is the heart of the gospel and one of the key themes of the book of Hebrews.
Have you ever pursued someone? I don't mean in a weird, stalker kind of way, but in a healthy pursuit, such as when a boy courts a girl, or when a girl flirts with a boy? Have you ever felt the devastation of rejection when the object of your pursuit gives you "the cold shoulder" or stops you dead in your tracks? Believers in Jesus Christ need never fear God will respond to us that way!
The new system (covenant) we've been studying radically displaced the old, relegating it to merely a "type" of the covenant that was to come with the advent, ministry and finished work of Jesus Christ.
The Greek translation of the OT (LXX, the Septuagint), differentiated between how Levitical priests could draw near to God and how the people could draw near to Him, in prayer and worship.1 The The Septuagint's word "draw near" for the priests was different than the one for the people, who could only "come before" God in prayer and worship. Under the new covenant, however, the NT believer's access to God, through Christ, is greater than even that experienced by the Levitical priests! Hebrews 10:22 makes the invitation clear: "come with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (ESV). And, what enables us to draw near to God in this way? The certainty that Jesus Christ is ever-living to intercede for us before God the Father. Jesus represents His own before the Father.
What are some reasons we "draw near"?
a. to worship, from a thankful heart (Hebrews 2:3)
b. to hear from God and deepen the intimacy of our relationship with Him
c. to receive mercy and timely help in our moments of need (Hebrews 4:15)
**confession of and cleansing from sin
**grace to overcome temptation
**supernatural power to win spiritual battles
**petitioning for the needs of others
When we hunger for God, long for a closer relationship with Him, we can be assured that our desire is a prayer He will always answer. We are promised (James 4:8) that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.
But, HOW do we draw near to Him? The writer of Hebrews assures us we have permission; James tells us how:
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
(James 4:8 ESV)
Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
(James 4:8-10 The Message)
I can't tell you how many times I have approached my God in prayer or worship without a shred of confession, repentance or even declaration of allegiance. Most of the time, I just plunge into prayers of thankfulness, or petitions for myself or others. As pendulums are wont to do, it appears we have in our contemporary Christian culture become so enamored with the "I am a friend of God" aspect of intimacy that we have jettisoned the "sinners in the hands of a holy God" aspect.
Most of us, given an opportunity to interact with someone we greatly respect, choose to honor that person with our courteous words. We interact with him or her according to our understanding of his or her character. Does not our perfect, holy and loving God deserve even more? Let's be sure to remember to Whom we speak, when we "draw near" and call on His name.
And, let's not live lives of double-mindedness, sometimes serving our God and at other times working against His purposes (whether intentionally or not) ... even pursuing sin! James calls this being "double-minded". This kind of schizophrenic living never works, never achieves anything of everlasting value. Do you truly want your life to have been spent accomplishing little in light of eternity? Stop trying to "ride the fence" into the kingdom of God!2
Speaking of eternity (of which this life is just a practice and a prelude), the believer's "drawing near" will ultimately culminate in dwelling in the presence of God forever. (Hebrews 12:22-29 and Psalm 100:5). In that glorious day we will no longer have to hunger for God's presence or long to be with Him. We will be able to proclaim with absolute authority, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere!" (Psalm 84:10)
Sources:
1 Cockerill, Gareth Lee. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2012. Kindle edition, pp. 326, 335.
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