Drawing Near: Mind the Gap?
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." — James 4:8 (ESV)
The Autobiography of George Müller is one of the most influential books I've ever read, and I return to it often because of the profound lessons I've learned from his life. I highly recommend it. One passage in particular has stayed with me — a journal entry dated June 25, 1834. Müller wrote:
"These last three days, I have had very little real communion with God and have therefore been irritable and weak spiritually."
The following day, after spending nearly two hours in prayer, he reflected: "I now feel more comfortable."
What strikes me about this isn't the two hours of prayer — it's that Müller could feel the distance after only three days. His relationship with the Lord was so close, so lived-in, that even a brief absence left a noticeable mark on his mood, patience, and strength. That kind of sensitivity to God's presence doesn't happen by accident. It's built through consistent, intimate communion.
And that word — communion — is the one most of us skip over. We talk about quiet time, devotional time, and Bible study. All of those are good. But communion is something different. Communion means sharing and exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings. It's not just reading about God. It's talking to Him — honestly, vulnerably, without an agenda — and then being still enough to hear what He says back.
Here's the honest question: when you miss a few days with the Lord, do you feel it as Müller did, or does the gap go unnoticed? The answer reveals something important about the depth of your relationship.
James 4:8 offers one of the simplest and most powerful promises in all of Scripture: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." That's not a formula. It's an invitation. God isn't distant. He isn't hiding. He's waiting for us to show up — not with a checklist, but with an open heart.
The difference between a quiet time routine and real communion is the difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. One fills a box on your schedule. The other fills your soul.
Big Idea
Our time with the Lord must go beyond routine — it must include the sharing of intimate thoughts and feelings. That's communion.
Questions to Ponder
How is your communion with God — not your routine, but your actual relationship? When you miss time with Him, do you feel the distance, or does it go unnoticed? Are you sharing intimate thoughts and feelings with Him, or just going through the motions? Is the Lord stirring something in your heart right now about the depth of your quiet time? Is He asking you to draw more near?
Application
This week, set aside time — even fifteen minutes — for real communion with the Lord. Not reading about Him. Not checking a box. Sit with Him. Talk to Him honestly about what's on your heart. Then be still and listen. If you don't have a quiet time routine, start one. If you do, ask yourself whether it's producing intimacy or just information. The goal isn't more knowledge about God — it's more of God Himself.
Before the Lord — a daily devotional by Blake S. Crawford. Read more and subscribe free at blakescrawford.com/before-the-lord.