Near to God

Psalm 73:28
“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

Being near to God, the Sovereign Creator of heaven and earth and all it encompasses is a wonderful place to be. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

To think upon His greatness and His mercy in loving and relating to His own creation is awe-inspiring. In perhaps our sheepishness to draw near to Him, James 4:8 tells us to “Come near to God and he will come near to you. …”

We don’t have to try to be anyone other than ourselves but we should “…draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

Moreover, the possibility of having His actual Holy Spirit living and breathing on the inside of us is beyond figuring out. To be so grand, yet grant us the privilege of access to Him at any time gives me great comfort.

It seems the Father’s love and care for us can not be measured with human minds, but we have a demonstration in His giving the life of His precious Son to reconcile men to Himself.

To know that we have this kind of Father who cares for us is mindboggling. “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go’ (Isaiah 48:17).

God’s holiness can be quite difficult to comprehend, yet the Bible helps us in speaking of it in marvelous terms: “…“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8). Psalm 104:1-2 tells us of our God, “… Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent.”

Another awesome scripture is, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance” (Isaiah 40:12)?

In all that He is, He is also our refuge. A refuge is a place where we find shelter and safety from danger. “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children, it will be a refuge” (Proverbs 14:26). ““Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5). “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).

As we’re coming to know the Lord more and more, of course, we’d want to tell of his wonderful works. If we don’t, all of nature does. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). Perhaps it takes a lifetime to mention them all. Yet they’re delightful to see, hear, and tell.