If you spend much time in the Book of Hebrews, you will notice it is ripe with the phrase “let us.” Sixteen times in the NIV, thirteen in the NKJV we find the admonition “let us ….”
Those phrases give us much to ponder in how we walk with our God. Let us look at a few over the next couple weeks beginning with “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” [Heb 10:22]
Directly before this verse, the writer of Hebrews tells us that we can have confidence to enter the Presence of God, the Most Holy Place, because of the sacrifice of our Savior Christ Jesus. He opened a new and living way for us so that we can now draw near to God.
While Jesus opened that new and living way so that we can draw near to God, the act of “drawing near” is ours. God does not force us to draw close to Him. He will urge us, woo us, remind us, encourage us, love us and sometimes discipline us to do so, but the decision to draw near to God will always be ours.
God is always with us. His Spirit dwells within us. But the “awareness” of His Presence is ours to pursue and achieve. It is a life-long work, as well as a moment-by-moment quest. The more we recognize God’s Presence with us, the stronger our faith, the more courageous our actions, the higher and loftier our desires, thoughts and emotions. The world, our flesh and the devil will always try to intrude and hinder the awareness of God’s nearness. It is up to us to render them unable to do so.
With the events of the last few months and what may be in our future, beloved, we need to draw closer to God than ever before. I think we may need very last bit of courage and strength found in Him to not just survive as believers in an increasingly dark world, but to also thrive as children of God.
May His Presence be with us in ever increasing measure. God bless you. Amen.
