Draw Closer to Me. By Jim Banks www.jimandpatbanks.com www.trumaprayer.com
Some time ago I ministered to a fellow (let’s call him Bill) who was struggling with not feeling connected and in full relationship with God. The distance Bill felt from God also encompassed that with his family. That should be of no surprise to any of us, for when our God-to-man relationship is out of whack, so are our man-to-man relationships. I asked him about what childhood looked like when he was growing up at home? Bill quickly replied that he had a mother who was always busy with the house and other kids, and a dad that was always working and when he was home he was quite demanding. We always tend to project our relational experience with our parents upon God and expect Him to act in much the same manner, at least initially.
After getting some further information regarding what he had relayed, I got him into a conversation with Jesus, which was easy to do, and together they began to delve into this distance in their relationship. When Bill inquired of Jesus why he felt the way he did the response was, at least to my point of view, predictable; you never felt loved or appreciated. The Lord then recalled for him a couple of memories that drove home the point. Then the Lord said, “You’ve always wanted to be adored.” Bill was shocked. He said, “Although I would never have used that word, that’s an apt description of the way I’ve felt my entire life. I’ve never had that with my wife, even though I have provided well for us all our married life, she was always busy with her own thing. I’ve tried to be involved with everything my children have ever been engaged in, and yet they treat me the same way.”
Bill then asked Jesus, “What can I do to overcome where I am and how I feel?” I’m sure that he was thinking, ‘What sort of healing do I need to fix this?’ The response took us both by surprise, which leads us to the following; in keeping with a previous blog that employed the lyrics of a couple of songs by Billy Joel and Roger Hodgson …… here are the lyrics to a song released in 1976 called “Get Closer To Me” by Seals and Croft that perfectly echoes, as well as embodies the message that Jesus replied to Bill that day. It’s also the same message, to those who are struggling to feel close to Him in this bizarre season in history;
“Darlin’ if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.
Darlin’ if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.
Darlin’ if you want me to love, love only you, then love only me.
Darlin’ if you want me to see, see only you, then see only me.
There’s a line, I can’t cross over. It’s no good for me and it’s no good for you.
And there’s a feelin’, deep down inside me. I can’t explain it and you’re wondering why.
You say we’ve been like strangers, but I’m not the others you can wrap ’round your fingers.
Darlin’ if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.
Darlin’ if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.
Darlin’ if you want me to love, love only you, then love only me.
Darlin’ if you want me to see, see only you, then see only me.”
When we sense that there’s a wall between us and someone else, our first thought (and often our actions) go to an accusation, it’s their fault, for if they knew there was distance between us they would do something about it. Jesus, who probably dropped the lyrics to that song into the heart of the composer, is saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:14) and flowed it with, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13) In other words, if you choose to love (adore) Jesus you will also naturally choose to love (adore) others. In the process, you will either come to resolve that which is in you that has caused others not to adore you or resolve that which keeps you from receiving their adoration. In those situations where others refuse to do so His love (adoration) for you will provide what you need in spite of the circumstances.
Darlin’ if you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me.
Darlin’ if you want me to love, love only you, then love only me.
Darlin’ if you want me to see, see only you, then see only me.”
God is speaking through everything imaginable today … to those who choose to listen.
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