Draw Near to God

Daily Devotional – Thursday, February 1, 2024
It is good for me to draw near to God.
Psalms 73:28 (NKJV)

Sarah Flower Adams, an English poet and hymn writer, composed one of the most popular and famous hymns in Christendom: Nearer, My God, to Thee. The lyrics are based on the experience of Jacob on the night he had a dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder that connected heaven and earth.

Nearer, My God, to Thee

Sara expresses her desire to be nearer God, especially in moments of uncertainty. The lyrics resonate with many people, making the song popular with both believers and non-believers. It is not a wonder, then, that some survivors of the RMS Titanic disaster recall the ship ensemble playing this song as the giant vessel went down in April 1912.

Similarly, the crew and passengers of the SS Valencia sang Nearer, My God, to Thee as the ship sank on the coast of Canada in 1906. It is human to want to come closer to God when death or other misfortune beckons. In times of plenty, though, many people shun the presence of God, ostensibly because of their sinful ways.

Draw Near to God

In contrast, the psalmist, like Sarah, the songwriter, remarks, “It is good for me to draw near to God.” (Psalms 73:28). In verse 27, Asaph intimates the consequences of estrangement from God, saying, “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish.” How can one remain alive when he or she detaches from the source of life?

In a world that has openly or subtly turned away from God, we must deliberately choose to draw near to God at all times. Only in Him shall we find courage, strength, faith, and peace to navigate the troubled waters of this world. Nearer, My God, to Thee, should become the prayer of every believer, even as we looked forward to an eternity with God.

Prayer
Though, like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!