Draw Near to God Ps. 73:22-28 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In Ps 73 Asaph said, Draw near to God. This admonition is one of the greatest in the Bible. Sin puts a wedge between you and God. So, drawing near to him is essential to close the gap. Draw near to God:
Even when you’ve been foolish – Ps 73:22-23 – Asaph said that he had been foolish in his assessment of the wicked and that he had been as a beast before the Lord. Yet he said, “Nevertheless.” In other words, in spite of something foolish you have done, draw near to God. Don’t wallow in your sorrow over it. Don’t let your thoughts draw you away from God.
Even when you feel like God is distant from you – Ps 73:23-24 – sin puts a wedge between you and the Lord. Sin purposely makes you feel this gap in your relationship with him so that you will be discouraged and go back to the sin again. It is the old cycle of guilt and shame that keeps you in bondage to sin. That’s part of sin’s deception. You think by feeling bad about it you can let it go But the truth is you are just magnifying the sin and its effects on your life. So draw near to God instead. Fill your mind with thoughts of him. Remember that you are continually with him. Asaph says, “thou hast holden me by my right hand.” In fact, in the New Testament, he is in you and will never leave you. He is your guide and will receive you to glory [at the rapture].
Even when your heart fails you – Ps 73:26 – it is easy for our hearts to condemn us [1 Jn 3:19-21]. From time to time I hear from people who believe they have lost their salvation or that God is “done” with them. Rather than fret by condemning yourself, draw near to God. He will strengthen your heart. He is longsuffering, forbearing, merciful and faithful. His desire for you is to rejoice in your salvation. At this point when you draw near to God you will find that there is no one else in heaven to whom to turn and that there will be no one on earth that you will desire besides God [Ps 73:25].
Even when your “friends” don’t – Ps 73:27 – Asaph was envious at the wicked because it seemed to him that they were better off than God’s people. But he changed his attitude when he considered their end [Ps 73:17]. It was then that he realized they would perish. You obviously desire to see your friends get saved but they won’t all follow the Lord. Draw near to God in spite of them. They will probably separate from you because you won’t run with them. But you will find that God is a better friend than they were.
Conclusion: Ps 73:28 says, “it is good for me to draw near to God;” because when you are near him you lose your desire for those sins that drew you away from him. You trust him more. And then you can declare his works because you can see his goodness and all the wonderful things he is doing in your life.