Draw Near

Many of you know that we have a son and daughter-in-law who live in Costa Rica, working with Estudiantes Cristianos Unidos (ECU), a ministry for college-aged students. They have been there for four and a half years and have grown in their language skills and confidence to navigate the city and the culture of the young people they get to serve.

When they moved, we knew how much they wanted us to come to visit them. We have an open invitation to come whenever we can and we have tried to make the trip at least once a year. Of course, COVID nixed that perfect plan, but we have visited as often as we could.

Last summer, after a long and stressful year, due to Covid, our family came home. In need of loved ones, rest, and play, they lived with us and spent time visiting family and friends. The kids were in on-line school so they participated from here, three kids on three computers. It was quite the production! After six weeks they headed back to Costa Rica refreshed and ready to begin again.

But when they left, they looked us in the eye and told us they wanted us to come to Costa Rica soon. We felt the same way. So, as soon as we could, we purchased the tickets and made plans to visit.

When we stepped off the plane on January 11th we anticipated the smiles, the hugs, and the love we were going to experience. We knew we were wanted. We knew we were loved and we looked forward to the days ahead.

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Each year I enjoy the tradition of picking a word to guide my year. I keep it in front of me, at my desk, so I can see it often.

My 2022 word is DRAW NEAR.

Just like our family wants us to be with them, God also has an open invitation for us to be with him! In Matthew 11:28, Jesus, while talking to a crowd, extended an open invitation. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” I believe he offers the same to you and me. His is an invitation of loving-kindness that says, I want to be with you. I have much to offer you. So, Come!

I want to say yes to that invitation. I can DRAW NEAR to him when I see that beautiful moon shining brightly in the dark blue early morning sky. I want to DRAW NEAR to him when I find myself worried about many things. When my feelings have been hurt or I have felt offended, I find him inviting me to run to him, to DRAW NEAR. I know he welcomes me when I feel angry or when anxieties threaten to overwhelm me.

He says, “Come to me, DRAW NEAR!”

In Psalm 73:28 the psalmist decides, “But as for me, it is good to be near God.” I agree with him.

But not only do I want to hear the words, “DRAW NEAR” I also want to say the words, “DRAW NEAR!”

Come to my house for dinner!

Let’s get together for coffee!

Let’s meet for lunch and talk about this book!

Let’s step aside and pray over the matter that is breaking your heart.

Come close, let me grieve with you. I will sit quietly by your side.

Come, let’s catch up with our busy lives.

I care about you. DRAW NEAR

I will be a safe place for you to lay down your burdens and find rest.

DRAW NEAR is God’s hospitality. I can respond because he has drawn near to me. It is because of his invitation that I can invite. His love enables me to love. It is from being known by him that I can risk knowing others. His welcome encourages me to be welcoming. God invites me to DRAW NEAR so that I am free and able to invite others to DRAW NEAR as well.

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When we stepped off the plane a couple of weeks ago and found the welcoming embrace of our son and daughter-in-law along with the joyful waist-high hugs from our dear grandchildren, we knew the warmth of home. Home is the place where you are loved, and there we were. Being drawn in we were, in turn, able to draw them close to our hearts. We were home. The ten days were filled with hikes, games, playing basketball, eating together, baking, crafting, reading books, swimming, watching sunsets, and much more. The sweet memories will stay with us forever. We’ll remember the days we drew near to the ones we love and found that God was drawing us near to him at the same time.

I encourage you to find/pick a word for this year. Tuck it into the pockets of your heart and find the Spirit of God pulling you to himself in warm and welcoming ways. He is the person/place in which we’ve been invited to DRAW NEAR and He is truly home.

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A slow practice

There is another story in the Bible that illustrates the power of both drawing near and being drawn near.

In Luke 15 Jesus told a parable of a Father whose son went far off, spent all his money, and eventually came to his senses. Home, he remembered. Home. He realized he didn’t deserve to come home as a son, but at least he could come home as a servant. Surely that was better than the life he was living.

As you read those last lines, I encourage you to close your eyes and set yourself into the sandals and dirty rags of that son. Realize how weary your legs feel as you trudge up that dusty road. Hear your empty stomach growl and remember the way those gritty pods tasted; the ones you had tossed to the pigs. Through your tired eyes, get a glimpse of your home place up ahead. Feel the shame. Wonder at your exhaustion and worry about what kind of welcome you will receive. You know you deserve nothing.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

“But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.”

Look up and find yourself astonished to see your dad bursting out of the house running toward you. What’s that he’s yelling? Is he angry? What? No! He is screaming out the most amazingly joyful, “Welcome Home! My Son! Welcome Home! You are welcome here. DRAW NEAR so I can hold you. I have missed you so much. Welcome, welcome home!”

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Feel the feelings: the relief. the release, the overwhelming humility, the tears. Feel the moment. Don’t hurry away. Take in the embrace, the being known and loved, the acceptance, the joyful welcome. Come to me, my son. Come to me, my daughter. DRAW NEAR. You will find rest here. You are home.

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God is watching for us and his daily, as well as his final, welcome home, is going to be just as surprising, just as magnificent, just as deeply astonishing as the son in the story. I can’t wait.

Each morning as I step into my porch to meet quietly with God, I light my candle, hold my red wooden heart, and I think about this undeserved warm embrace. I marvel at the love that has pulled me in and invited me to be a part of his Home - today, right now, and on into eternity. I find myself willingly DRAWN in and DRAWN NEAR.

How have you experienced the welcome of God? I’d love to hear about it.

Thanks so much for reading my words. You are a treasure.