Draw Closer to Me
What a wonderful conference we have just concluded: From Dawn to Destiny. There were such words of encouragement, direction, and His loving conviction to make important course corrections. What a wonderful Heavenly Father. All we experienced in this new era of His unfolding plan can all be centered upon one thing: Draw Closer to Me.
As darkness covers the earth and deep darkness the people, Isaiah 60 tells us that we are to arise, and as we do, the blinding light of His glory replaces the landscape before us. But there is something necessary in this process that only you and I can control: Draw Closer to Him. This is how we become a reservoir of His glory to the earth.
But you may say, “But we are experiencing His amazing blessings right now…He has broken through for us…we are seeing signs, wonders, and miracles…” These are all marvelous acts of His intentionality and grace. We rejoice in them and become strengthened in our faith. But does His gifts, miracles, and blessings become a only a magnet for our attention, or do they point us to a closer more intimate relationship with Him? Can you experience both?
Can the Blessings of the Lord Be Enough?
I have been guilty of focusing my eyes upon His blessings lately instead of seeing the blessings through the majesty of Jesus. His favor, liberty, and breakthrough are meant to bless us and free us. Looking back over my life, I have seen this as a pattern. I love the blessings of the Lord. But if I’m not careful, I can focus on the “what” He is doing for me instead of the “Who” that is doing it. The “what” focus can numb me from hearing His voice distinctly, His direction succinctly, and His series of assignments for me correctly.
Focusing on the blessings of the Lord more than my direct attention upon Him, those blessings will only be momentary. The Old Testament is full of those stories of the Israelites crying out, being delivered, walking in blessing, but over time falling back into old patterns again. Why is this? The blessings of the Lord, without my full dedication and love adventure with Him, cannot last. But if I make “the One thing the one thing,” my love story with Him is strengthened, my character refined and polished, and my spiritual authority muscles increased. Now I can carry the weight of His glory to receive His blessings because He trusts me with them.
“But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that comes to God must believe the HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek HIM.” Hebrews 11:6
“HE IS” is a succinct statement that God is more than we understand. As we diligently seek Him and keep Him as our focus, we discover His nature brings rewards because we are diligently seeking HIM, not His blessing.
“ONE THING I have desired of the Lord, THAT will I seek; that I may DWELL IN THE HOUSE (Heart) of the Lord all the days of my life, to BEHOLD the beauty of the Lord and inquire (to inspect, admire, care for) in His temple.” Psalm 27:4
God is jealous for our love and attention (Exodus 34:14), and He promises us His blessings over all curses simply because He loves us (Deut. 23:5). His love for us is powerful, and in this new era of relationship with Him, He is sweeping us up into a newer, closer, more intimate relationship with His nature where He becomes the only object of our affection. His blessings simply become a display of His love over us. Keep God the center of it all…the sole object of our worship. That is a major path of what it means to me to stay closer in relationship with Him by Drawing Closer to Him.