Come A Little Closer
Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. Luke 15:1
Drawing near to listen… I think it’s significant that people didn’t stay in place but gathered around Jesus and came in close. They put themselves into position to hear him.
When people gather around there’s an atmosphere of intimacy. Physical proximity creates a special sort of place. In an intimate circle other things are shut out. When positioned close, we can hear better and see better. We are face-to-face with the speaker.
Drawing near puts our focus on the one who is speaking. It’s saying that the person and His words are important to us.
Drawing near is a physical movement, a change in location. It involves an exclusion of other things. It involves a commitment and deliberate action.
Drawing near is done for a purpose. You have a reason for moving closer: you don’t want to miss anything. You’re close enough to discuss, ask questions, have a conversation.
We can’t draw near in the same way that the sinners and tax collectors did, but we can put ourselves in a position of intimacy to listen closely so that we don’t miss anything.
