Benefits From Drawing Close to God
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
– 1 Corinthians 3:16
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:19
So the need to draw close to God is not physical, but spiritual. We need to align our spirit with the Father’s Spirit. As Jesus said:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
– Matthew 5:48
We do that by prayer, by meeting together with like minds, and by imitating his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ:
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
– John 14:6
When we live an isolated life, we can become selfish and severely socially handicapped. We might begin to develop strange ideas about life and God and man, ideas that are not challenged by others so as to be sharpened and refined, all of which will lead to calamity.
“An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.”
– Proverbs 18:1
The benefits of drawing close to God are far too numerous to state. So we will simply share some scriptural thoughts:
“You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”
– Psalms 145:16
“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:9
Jesus enumerated some of the benefits in his Sermon on the Mount:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
– Matthew 5:3-12
And there are many more ideas scattered throughout the Christian Greek Scriptures:
“Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.”
– John 6:47
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
- John 16:13
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:13
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
– Romans 8:14-17
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
– Romans 8:20-21
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
– Philippians 3:20
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4:6-7
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
- Colossians 1:13-14
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
– 1 Timothy 4:16
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
– 2 Corinthians 1:20
And in summary, we encourage you:
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
– Psalms 34:8
