How God Draws Us Near

Our high school gym teacher was a former Marine Corps drill instructor. He drew me out and grew me up a bit, for which I’ve always been grateful. One Michigan October day, he divided our class into two teams for an outdoor tug-o-war. Between the competing sides was a ditch, about eight feet wide and mid-thigh deep with water. At the teacher’s order, we all strained mightily to drag the other team into the water, and my side eventually prevailed. As a consequence for losing, the other team had to run back and forth across the ditch four times. And the prize for the winners? We only had to make the round trip twice. To me it was fun, but not everyone felt that way.

Jesus taught us that God draws us to Himself. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,”¹ He said to His antagonists. We think of Him gently wooing us and us gladly following His call, but in reality, the process is more like a tug-o-war. The Greek word translated “draw” connotes great effort and intentionality. It is the same word used to depict the disciples straining to “haul” in a net full of fish, and it is used elsewhere to describe the apostles being “dragged” before the authorities. So how does God draw/haul/drag us to Himself? By any means possible. If it takes affliction to drag us, then He will afflict us. “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up,”² exhorted Hosea. If it takes disaster to haul us to Him, then God will work though disaster, as spoken through Joel: “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”³ And in all circumstances, it is the persevering kindness of God that ultimately draw us to Him. “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance,”⁴ asked Paul, rhetorically.

If you are reluctant to draw near to God, know this: the God of all creation loves you and wants you in His presence. If you have loved ones still straining in an unwinnable tug-o-war against God, know this: He loves them even more than you do; He draws them in love.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you out with kindness.” —Jeremiah 31:3 NASB

Father, You are patient and kind with us. Thank You for drawing us, even when we resist You. Grace us to see the truth of Your love, that we would rejoice in Your presence. In Christ we pray. Amen.

¹ John 6:44 ESV
² Hosea 6:1 ESV
³ Joel 2:13 ESV
⁴ Romans 2:4 NIV