827. PSA 73:28. ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNION WITH GOD

Psa_73:28. Advantages of Communion with God

"But it is good for me to draw near to God."’97Psa_73:28.

Various are the representations given of that communion, which the soul is privileged to have with God. It is often represented as waiting on the Lord’97coming to God’97calling upon him’97meditating on him. The expression of the text is very striking; it is, drawing near to God. The mind is apt to wander, and to tarry at a distance’97to attach itself to worldly things’97to cleave to the dust’97to forget God. The varied pursuits of life easily absorb all our time, and engross all our thoughts; so that a life of ungodliness is necessarily the result. And how melancholy is such an exhibition! Man, with all his lofty powers and moral emotions, wandering from the centre of all blessedness, and being satisfied with the worthless husks that earthly things afford. Often this state of mind is evident, where there is much that is naturally lovely and pleasing’97where there is the absence of direct profligacy, or skeptical rejection of God, or his claims. But the influence of the carnal mind is ever directed to estrange the thoughts and, desires from God, and to employ them with an entire devotedness to inferior things; and even where the grace of God has renewed the soul, there is the tendency to depart from God, and not to cleave fully to him with full purpose of heart; so that the Christian must use all spiritual appliances to keep the heart fixed in its regards and attention to divine things.

There is, therefore, an indispensable necessity for drawing near to God; that is, cherishing close and frequent communion with him; and all who do so will realize the truth of the text’97That "it is good" thus "to draw near to God."

We ask, then,

I. What is included in drawing near to God?

And,

II. The advantages derivable therefrom. Notice,

I. What is included in drawing near to God?

Now it is evident, that certain states of mind are necessary to this.

(1.) There must be a scriptural knowledge of God. We cannot draw near to an unknown object. We must know God, as his word reveals him to us. We must know him as our God, in Christ Jesus. Without a spiritual knowledge of God, we shall have no desire for fellowship and communion with him; and it is in Christ Jesus that he appears to us as the Father of mercy, and God of all grace. It is thus that he attracts us to himself, and that he comes near to us. He is thus, God reconciling the world to himself’97God commiserating our misery, pitying our wretchedness, and extending to us the means of restoration’97both to his image and favor. Yes, God must be evangelically known, or we cannot acceptably draw near to him.

(2.) There must be faith in God. "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him." Now, in order to this faith in God, the mind must rest on his gracious character, and on his divine promises of mercy and salvation. Faith must have a warrant for its exercise; and God’s good word is that warrant. Hence, we may inquire, What has God declared, and what has he engaged to do for those who come to him in the way of his gracious appointment? And to these inquiries, the most ample replies of affectionate solicitude may be returned. He will hear the voice of the contrite suppliant; he will raise the oppressed and downcast soul; he will forgive all sin’97blot out all iniquity’97remove all defilement’97renew the heart’97and adopt the recipients of his mercy into his divine kingdom, and make them heirs of righteousness and eternal life.

Now faith in God builds the soul’s hope of everlasting blessedness, on the person and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ; and the answer of faith is, the formation of Christ in the soul, as the hope of glory.

(3.) There must be an explicit apprehension of the only medium of drawing nigh to God, and of access, whether it be by prayer, meditation, or communion with him. Christ, he is the only medium, "the way." "No man cometh to the Father, but by him." And all our fellowship with God must be by his Son. Every desire and aspiration’97every act of praise and thanksgiving’97must ascend to him through Jesus, the one blessed and only mediator. How prone we are to rely on our own ability and powers, especially if we are more than ordinarily excited, or happy in religious exercises; if we have fluency in prayer, elevation of heart in praise, pleasure in hearing, or delight in meditation. And yet, even in our best and happiest seasons of religious enjoyment, we must cherish the great evangelical truth, that our holiest exercises must be presented to God, through the intercessory work of our Great High Priest, without which, it cannot possibly be acceptable to him. So that Christ’s work must be interwoven with all our Christian experience, and with all the exercises of a godly life.

(4.) There must be humble, yet confident dependence on the aids of the divine grace. "Without me," Christ has said, "ye can do nothing." We need, at the outset, the inward sense of the importance of holy things; we need the heartfelt desire; we need the spiritual power’97the antecedent hungering and thirsting for righteousness’97the gracious expressions of our desires before God’97the spirit of pleading and believing supplication, his blessed Spirit must supply. Yea, and God waits to bestow these blessings. He waits to confer the qualifications by which we can come to him and attain with moral certainty the good things our souls may need. How important then to seek, that he may "teach us to pray"’97increase our faith; and enable us with all confidence and hope to wait upon, and to repose our trust entirely in him. All these God supplies by his rich and gracious Spirit, to those who ask him.

Now these things being understood and premised, then we proceed to consider what it is to draw near to God. It is,

1. To have a deep sense of his presence.

It is true that he is everywhere. We may associate the idea of God’s presence with the ancient temple and its rites. But now the time is, when God may be approached everywhere. In the house of prayer he has specially engaged to be with his people. But he is no less present when the domestic altar is reared, or in the retired closet. We may behold God, and enjoy communion with him, when contemplating his power, and wisdom, and goodness, in the manifold works of his hand. And so, in all places and at all times, the devotional spirit will recognize an ever-present God. God above us, around us, leading us; whose vigilant eye is never closed, and whose gracious ear is ever bending over us, to hear our plaints, and receive our supplications.

We never need either to ascend to find him, or to traverse the earth to come to him, or seek for an earthly temple where he may be found; but everywhere God is near to those who worship him in truth, and call upon him with a lowly heart and contrite spirit.

To draw near to God’97

2. It is to lift up the heart and soul to him.

We must rise in thought and contemplation. We must meditate on his goodness and love to us. We must dismiss other subjects and things, and compel them to make room, and give place to God, our Maker and Redeemer. We must exclaim, intelligently and devoutly: "Whom have we in heaven but thee?" "Lord, on thee we would wait all the day long." To the Divine exhortation, "Seek ye my face," we must respond, "Lord, thy face will we seek."

3. It is to attend to religious exercises in a spiritual manner.

In reading or hearing the Divine word. In public, social, or private prayer. In holy reflection and meditation. In ardent and grateful song. In all these acts, the soul must be spiritualized, in order to our drawing near to God. So, also, when we endeavor to set God before us in the duties and engagements of life, we must seek after spirituality of mind. Our moral perceptions and emotions must be spiritually alive and fervent. All mere forms must be disclaimed, and all resting on nominalism discarded. However needful the letter may be, in that we must not rest; but attain to a spiritual frame, and a fervent intensity, in all God’s service; and without this, we do not wait on God, really at all. We may go to his house, and wait on his ministers. We may wait on external services. We may wait on the written word, and on outward forms of worship; but the heart must rise to God, and the soul become spiritually elevated above earthly things, in order to our truly drawing near to him.

Notice then,

II. The advantages derivable therefrom.

"It is good," says the Psalmist, "to draw near to God." It tends’97

1. To the intellectual elevation of the soul.

It is the highest pursuit of an intelligent mind; the most opposite to that which is low, and earthly, and degrading, and grovelling. It is mind in contact with infinite light’97judgment in contact with infinite truth’97emotions in harmony with boundless goodness’97conscience in peaceful concord with unspotted purity. This is the climax of exaltation! It is the man on the earth, raised to the kingdom and throne of heaven. Nowhere is he so great, or so highly exalted, as when drawing near to God. It is essentially adapted,

2. To man’s spiritual improvement.

How is the earthly and carnal to be destroyed, and how the spiritual and holy to be cherished, but by drawing near to God. Communion with God, essentially produces God-likeness’97a resemblance to his moral character. This is thus beautifully set forth: "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."’972Co_3:18. Like Moses, whose communion with God caused his face to shine with a celestial radiance and glory. It is so even with human beings. Communion always produces assimilation. So we grow in likeness to God, as we draw and live near to him. It is,

3. The source of man’s highest blessedness. "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, for they will be still praising thee." Now, in drawing near to God, the soul enjoys the Divine favor’97the chief good. As the eye delights in the light, and what the light reveals; as the ear in sounds, and the varied results of musical harmony; as the tongue is gratified by the different varieties of taste’97so the whole soul is blessed and happy in the highest degree, in holding fellowship with God. Hence the Psalmist exclaims: "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is: to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me."’97Psa_63:1-8. God is the soul’s rest, the soul’s portion, and the soul’s unspeakable joy. It is good,

4. As connected with our absolute safety. Man is but as vanity. Exposed to a thousand perils. His body, frail and dying; vulnerable in his reputation and in his peace; and surrounded by dangers unnumbered; while a thousand enemies are ready to assault him. Besides, he is insufficient in himself, either for his own guidance or defence.

Now, to draw nigh to God, is to place ourselves in absolute security. "Who shall harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" "The Lord is a sun and a shield" to all his people. If we draw near to him, we have an interest in his all-benignant providence, and in all the blessings of his grace. All our interests are thus committed to him, and they will be infallibly secure, whether for time or for eternity. Hence God said to Abraham, "Fear not, I am thy shield." See this treated on, at full length, in the ninety-first Psalm.

We add, finally,

5. It is an essential preparation for the glory of heaven.

Heaven is the scene of perfect, uninterrupted communion with God. It is being absolutely near to him;’97in his immediate presence. To be with God, and to enjoy him forever. To this state of consummate bliss however, there must be previous meetness. Adaptation of mind and heart for it. And this necessarily and mainly consists in, communion with God here’97drawing near to God, is the direct way to glory. It is the education of the soul for infinite blessedness. Then how sublimely true is the declaration of the text,’97That it is "good to draw near to God."

We ask, in conclusion,

1. Are you experimentally acquainted with this exercise? Do you know the experience the text brings before us; and do you know the blessedness it affirms? If you do, we say, cherish this experience;’97be often thus in communion with God; guard against all lets and hindrances to it. Let this service be constant, close, and uninterrupted.

2. We invite the sinner to draw near, by faith in Jesus. God says to you by Christ’97"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."’97Mat_11:29. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."’97Isa_1:18.

3. We urge on the formal, the importance of spiritual exercise and communion with God. Nothing else can please God, or benefit your souls. As well seek warmth without fire’97or physical nutrition without food’97or repose and vigor without refreshing sleep; as to seek for moral and holy strength, and spiritual excellence, without drawing near to God. Our spiritual being can only live and grow, by constant communion with the one Divine fountain of life and salvation. And drawing near to God, is essential to that communion; so that the text, like a celestial link, unites man to God, and allies earth itself with heaven.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS