“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

When did you feel nearest to God? Maybe your palms tingled with power as you prayed over a sick friend in Jesus’ name. Maybe you felt God’s presence when you gave a eulogy, or when the majesty of a bright blue sky overwhelmed you as a gull soared by. Or perhaps you trusted Him when you jumped into the abyss and knew that in your weakness, He was near. 

Those sacred moments of nearness make us long for more. They feel like a flash of Heaven.

I recently heard a profound line from Randy Alcorn, and it blew my mind: “The nearest a non-believer gets to heaven is living on earth. The nearest a believer gets to hell is living on earth.”

Read it again. KaBOOM!

Some days, when the world’s whirlwind discourages me, I wallow in darkness and chaos. This earth feels sooo far from God. But then, I remember that the farthest I will ever be from God is right now. This very moment! I will only draw nearer to Him. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) And that makes my heart sing. “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). What a relief!

On the Flip Side

Think about the other side of that quote. How heartbreaking it is for someone who doesn’t know Jesus intimately. They may not realize they live under God’s protection on this earth. Instead, they believe they’re getting by on their own strength and abilities, never realizing they are being shielded from the evil one.

But for those who have given their hearts to God, who have chosen to walk with Him and to be with Him for all eternity, who have chosen to live under His many blessings and love, this life is only the beginning. We are just starting to experience what is coming.

Faith can sound so complicated! We can run ourselves in circles over theological dogmas, but it all comes down to one word: near.  

And how grateful we are that “whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

So here is my challenge for you this week: draw near. Pray, worship, sit quietly, and listen. Don’t wait for a mountaintop moment. He is already close, and He is waiting for you.  And spend a moment praying for friends and family who have not drawn near to Him.  

A searing reminder that we are only drawing closer to the Lord. Near, by Melissa Carey Share on X