Stay Near

I have a dog who is always near. She does not snuggle, but she must always be near me. If I’m on the couch, so is she. If I am cooking, she is at my feet. She stands near as I get ready for the day. While she doesn’t love being smothered, she knows she is safest and most content when she is near the one who cares for her. I learn a lot from her.

The psalmist knew this well. “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good.” Psalm 73:28

Isn’t it interesting how that verse is worded? It doesn’t say “service for God is my good”, or “giving faithfully to God is my good.” No, while those are important, it says that nearness to God is what is good for us. I think we might often overthink the Christian life. We spin our wheels in service and try to visibly show our devotion to the Lord. All the while the Lord gently draws us close, not smothering us, but drawing us close to say, “Just stay near me. You will always be secure and most content as you stay near me.”

I love the words of Charles Spurgeon, “We are never perfectly at ease except in a state of nearness to Christ. The nearer to Him, the nearer to the perfect calm of heaven. The nearer to Him, the fuller the heart is, not only of peace, but of life, and vigor, and joy, for these all depend on constant communion with Jesus. What the sun is to the day, what the moon is to the night, what the dew is to the flower, what bread is to the hungry, clothing to the naked, the shadow of a great rock to the traveler in a weary land, such is Jesus Christ to us.”

Isn’t that beautiful? And freeing? Nearness to God is the goal. Everything else is an outpouring of our close proximity to the Giver of life itself.

Father, draw us near. Remind us that we are at out best when we are near to your heart. In Jesus name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• Mysti Chustz has been following Jesus since she was six years old.
• She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. Her most favorite roles are being wife to Philip and mama to Coleman, Mary Lamar, and Clay.
• If one verse was used to describe her life, it would be Philippians 1:6. “Be confident of this, the One who starts the work in you is faithful to complete the work in you.”