The hymn Nearer My God to Thee made famous as the parting song on board RMS Titanic, was written almost a century prior to the famous ship’s sinking.
Composed by British Unitarian Sarah Flower Adams, it has been a favourite for many generations of people of faith who not only aspire for a closer walk with God but are alert to the possibility of making shipwreck of their faith.
It is a bad sign when such aspiration ceases to be our vigilant quest. There is a condition of soul which is not only attainable, but which is set before us in the Scriptures as the proper condition of a believing heart.
It is that of rest in Christ when we have found him for whom our soul longed and know that in him we have been brought nigh (Ephesians 2:13).
Then we know that we have been perfectly reconciled to our offended God by His precious blood and covered by His spotless righteousness.
This is one aspect – and how great an aspect – those only know who have been brought out of their weary wanderings to and fro, in vain search of justification by their own righteousness.
But, it is another thing altogether, after having found this peace, to walk with God closely in daily life.
Many of us start our journey on this course – our minds enlightened by that measure of spiritual light – that enabled us to come to Christ as our justifier.
Perhaps we thought that the gratitude we felt at that moment for the great mercies of God we had experienced would be enough to carry us onward always on an even course.
But soon we found out that our “first love” was apt to get chilled and the world we thought we had renounced forever, was constantly asserting its claim to revisit our hearts.
Our communion with Him got broken, and we lost that blessed peace and joy which we felt when we first ‘saw’ the Lord.
Let’s return now to our question: How to walk more closely with God.
In the first place, it will be necessary to define what is meant by “walking with God.”
The expression is found in the Scriptures, used of Enoch and Noah (Genesis 5:24 and 6:9). It is also used of the tribe of Levi in the days of their first consecration to God (Malachi 2:6).
It is evident that what is meant by the expression in all these passages is to lead a life of constant communion with God in which God is made our intimate associate and friend.
None would deny that this is what we are called to be in Christ. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested; for this purpose the Holy Spirit has been sent to us; for this purpose the Scriptures have been given.
But the practical difficulties we all feel in the way of such a walk are many and great. Let us consider some of these.
It may be that our method has been defective. There is but one “way of holiness.” It is that which God has set up from of old.
Its boundaries are clearly marked in His Word so that “the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”
But it is just here that we fail, that we are not willing to be as fools but like to try our own hands upon this work and construct a way for ourselves, out of our own wisdom instead of taking God’s counsel.
Everything in short, has been provided in Christ, through the foreknowledge and the love of our heavenly Father for walking closely with Him (2 Peter 1:3).
But God might show us that we have been cherishing some idol in our hearts.
Hymn writer William Cowper recognized this as a most common hindrance to the soul’s communion with God when he wrote: “The dearest idol I have know/Whate’er that idol be/Help me to tear it from heart/And Worship only Thee.”
It is evident that this must be done if we are to have God as our friend and counsellor (Amos 3:3). The question answers itself: If sin is willingly entertained, God’s company must be given up.
He will not dwell in a heart defiled with idolatrous associations where mammon or human praise or sensuality or some earthly love is usurping the place to which He is entitled.
However long-standing our faith, and however many our past successes be, we are never safe except so far as we keep humble, asking counsel of Him daily, remembering our weakness, never daring to do anything apart from Jesus and His grace.
Narayan Mitra is the pastor of Merritt Baptist Church.
The views expressed in this column don’t necessarily reflect those of the Merritt Herald and its staff. The Herald welcomes qualified writers with views on this or other faiths to submit their work to [email protected] to be considered for publication.
