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Nearer My God To Thee

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heav'n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I'll fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

There in my Father's home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior's love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be,
Nearer my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

This song has a great message to teach us. We should always be seeking to draw
closer to God. The Bible says that if we draw nigh unto God, He will draw nigh unto
us. There is a deep teaching to this verse. To expand on this verse, read Psalms 25: 4-5,

"Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day."

The way to really get connected to God is to follow the examples of King David,
Moses, Jesus, Elijah, Paul, and many of the great prophets in the Old Testament.
These great men of old, were taught of God, not of men. When they had questions
that needed to be answered, they went to God.

In our society we have people who go to seminaries, and they graduate from these religious vocational schools and then go on to develop careers as teachers of religion.
They get paid positions in churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations and the people pay them to teach them about God, and about spiritual things.

The problem is that when you pay others to teach you about God and to direct you to God, you will never get connected to God. You have to go do God directly and ask Him to teach you and to guide you, just like the prophets did. God can teach you a lot better about spiritual things than a priest, or a preacher.

When all of your spiritual knowledge comes from the priest, preacher, or rabbi, then you will wind up with an "organizational mindset". For example, if you listen to Baptist preachers for your understanding about God, then you will wind up as a Baptist organizational person. This organizational mindset can frequently interfere with your "drawing close to God". Why? Because, all of your spiritual activity becomes focused upon the religious organization. You are "doing" the church programs and thinking you are getting close to God. I am sorry, but participating in church programs does not get you closer to God.

If you want to get close to God you have to go to God. You have to walk up to the "burning bush". You have to become God's friend. You have to talk to God everyday. You have to share the things that are troubling you with God. You have to ask God to help you. Ask Him to teach you. When you have a problem, ask God to show you the solution. Ask God to help you to interpret the scriptures. When you start asking God for answers to problems, you will be amazed at what pops into your mind. This process will prove to you that their is a Creator who cares about you. You will start to realize that God does not live in a religious organization, but He is everywhere, and He is always available to you at all times. And soon you will realize the God actually resides in you. You are His Holy Temple, and not a building made with bricks and mortar. Now, go read Psalms 25: 4-5 again and contemplate on what this scripture says.

You see, David was victorious, because God showed him the solutions to many of his problems. David didn't go to the priest, he went directly to God. God can and will speak to the "spiritual ear" within you. Everyone has spiritual ears, and spiritual eyes, but like Jesus said, "they have eyes but they cannot see, they have ears but they cannot hear". Turn your eyes upon Jesus, turn your eyes upon God, turn your eyes upon the Holy Spirit, and you will begin to see the Lord teaching you, shaping you, and guiding you. Don't trust the preacher, priest, or rabbi to shape your spiritual condition. Rely upon God and only God.