Thou art near, O Lord.
The nearness of God
I. God is near us in the hour of human desertion. We are never in reality alone, never in reality deserted. On our right hand and on our left the Invisible walks.
II. God is near us in the hour of temptation. When an army goes forth to battle, a true leader goes forth with it. In the supreme moment of his destiny, whether of downfall or triumph, God always stands by a follower.
III. The nearness of god to us is seen in the various experiences of our life and growth. Now it is hard to analyze the sources and causes of growth. Ask the rose how it grows. Say to it, “Whence came your sweetness and the royal colour of your leaves?” and the rising volume of its fragrance is your only answer. It cannot say how much it owes to the sun, how much to the shower, how much to the cloud, nor whether day or night brought most of perfume and beauty to it. So it is with the soul. You ask some aged Christian whence came her purity, her patience, her calm reliance and that hope of hers,--and can she tell you? No! She only knows that she is as she is through the grace of God. You may grope in darkness or walk in light, but He unto whom the light and darkness are one is over with you. (W. H. H. Murray.)
The nearness of God
I. The momentous import of the solemn fact. I hear people speaking of loneliness, and saying how chill is life, how bitter is their lot! What an implied insult to a God who is ever so near!
II. A few of the consequences which this important fact involves.
1. Then God knows all about us.
2. He not only knows us, but sees much to abhor.
3. He can also appreciate the good. The presence of God, then, should excite two vast opposing influences. It is deterrent to the bad, it is a help to the good. (Homilist.)
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Even in view of our folly and our failure, we who love the Lord will still rejoice that God sees us. We cannot hide our secret sins from Him, and I do not think we wish to.
I. In what senses is God near to His people?
1. He draws near to them by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ.
2. Moreover, through the indwelling of the Spirit the Lord is near to us, not merely above us and about us, behind us and beneath us, compassing us about with songs of deliverance, but dwelling in the human heart.
II. To whom does God thus specially approach?
1. To the lowly.
2. To the prayerful.
3. To those who are in trouble.
4. To the broken-hearted.
III. What is the result of this Divine proximity?
1. Recognizing this, we shall feel strong. If the Lord is near, it matters little who else is near, friend or foe.
2. His presence should make us very watchful.
3. If we know that God is near, we shall begin to want Him to be nearer still. (T. Spurgeon.)