The Devotional – 1433 – God is not distant, but very near!

The Devotional – 1433 – God is not distant, but very near!

Proverbs 10: – He who gathers in the summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

 

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While doing some college work years ago I was required to read several books by Andrew Murray and during that time some spiritual leaders of those days frowned on some of Mr. Murray’s interpretation of scripture. There is no reason to go into the detail of that and even much of it I have forgotten anyway. Yet through the study of this man’s work I began to like his spiritual intellect. In his book “The Inner Life” and others like this one I began to see that the believer in Jesus Christ can be close to God and walk with Him even as the man Enoch did, because he pleased God; Hebrews 11:5.

(Source – Wikipedia): Andrew Murray was the second child of Andrew Murray Sr. (1794–1866), a Dutch Reformed Church missionary sent from Scotland to South Africa. Andrew Murray was born in Graaff Reinet, South Africa. His mother, Maria Susanna Stegmann, was of French Huguenot and German Lutheran descent. Murray married Emma Rutherford in Cape Town, South Africa, on 2 July 1856. They had eight children together (four boys and four girls).

Andrew was sent to Aberdeen in Scotland for his initial education together with his elder brother, John. Both remained there until they obtained their master's degrees in 1845. From there, they both went to the University of Utrecht where they studied theology. The two brothers became members of Het Réveil, a religious revival movement opposed to the rationalism which was in vogue in the Netherlands at that time. Both brothers were ordained by the Hague Committee of the Dutch Reformed Church on 9 May 1848 and returned to the Cape.

Do you find it odd that some of the men out of every dispensation who seem obscure or even mysterious have a truly personal inner walk with God? Enoch who was the seventh generation from Adam (Jude 1:14) is said to have prophesied of the return of the LORD Jesus concerning the “end times” yet and apart from this passage in Jude, little is known of Enoch. Jude also, who is the half-brother of Jesus Christ (they enjoyed the privilege of having the same earthly mother). Even the letter from Jude in the church age is not a popular read, although as the time of Christ’s return draws near, Jude is being read more and more.

I am sure you are developing the picture; we could name the obscure men and women in time who were involved with FAITH in God, but the writers of the New Testament have already done this for us and it is our responsibility today to pick up the Living Word of God and read of these saints. The moment by moment awareness of God with us, or the developing love and peace found in the inner life of His saints is mostly obscure to the world, but as the LORD Jesus Christ it is an everyday, every moment read of Him who indwells us.

We may believe that we are even more obscure than Lot (Genesis 11) of the Old Testament or Syntyche of the New (Philippians 4:2) but if you are a saint, then your name is known personally by the LORD Jesus and His kingdom ought to be reigning in your soul. The scripture is very clear that if the Holy Spirit is indwelling you, then also Christ is present with you. 2 Corinthians 3:17 – Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty. (Liberty to fellowship with our God).

Thus Andrew Murray would say in his opening words of this little book “The Inner Life” the following quote: “The daily need for the time of solitude and quietness to pray and read God’s Word is of utmost importance. This time spent in fellowship with God will bring a blessing, strengthen our spiritual life, and prepare us to meet the world. Thus we will be equipped for service in God’s kingdom in soul winning and intercession”.

God’s saints are less equipped today to bring good news simply because we have no “inner life moments” with the One who is our Inner Life.