Nearer, Still Nearer

1. Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,

Draw me, my Savior—so precious Thou art!

Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast;

Shelter me safe in that “haven of rest”;

Shelter me safe in that “haven of rest.”

2. Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,

Naught as an off’ring to Jesus, my King;

Only my sinful, now contrite heart,

Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart;

Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart

3. Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last,

Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;

Through endless ages ever to be

Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee;

Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee!

We must draw nearer.

James tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he

will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse

your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded”

(James 4:7-8). Step one is to submit to God and to His Word.

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in

spirit”(Psalm 43:18). We can’t get any nearer to God than when we are broken.

Interestingly, we are nearer to God when we are at our lowest point in life. In an

ironic way, the way up is the way down, with humility and brokenness and being

crushed in spirit.

Minister to others. When we are helping the least of the world, we are doing it for

Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40). (And the King shall answer and say unto

them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the

least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.) This might include

visiting the sick, helping those who have little or nothing, and being hospitable to

strangers (Matthew 25:35-36), for we are also strangers or sojourners on a

pilgrimage to the Promised Land. Doing for others is really doing for Christ.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for

this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). To

draw nearer to God, you must be in more communication with Him, which begins

and ends with prayer.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless

it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine;

you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears

much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing”(John 15:4-5). We can’t do

anything apart from Christ. Abide in His Word. Pray. Love one Another. We do

that and we will, each day, be nearer and nearer.