Draw Near Unto Me

I went looking through my talk files to try and find a specific quote on the Spirit and I came across this talk that I put together in 2004.  I thought that I'd share one of the quotes but then the next one was good and the next one was too.  So forgive me for not breaking it up into bite size chunks, just enjoy the read.  The theme was drawn from D&C 88:63 which makes up the text for a song that we sang in Institute choir that you can listen to here or here.

"And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—
"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Doctrine and Covenants 88:62 - 63

It takes our effort and agency to draw. Drawing is incremental. It’s not one step, it’s gradual.  It teaches us patience and process. Look at those who were physically near Him and their reaction. They felt that pull to Him, multitudes followed Him.  

"BEHOLD, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.
"I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

"Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.
"And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them. 
"And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.
"Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy. 

"And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

"And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.  3 Nephi 17:1-10

People came unto Him with all their weakness, infirmities and imperfections, to be healed by His love. He can do the same for us if we come unto Him.

"And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."   Luke 17:12 - 13

What is it that we are drawing near to? What is that feeling? His love safetly, acceptance, security, wholeness, peace, rest, healing, a memory, a return to home and Heavenly Family. 

"God is our ancestor, but He is not distant; He is close. He is the Father of our spirits; we are His children. But...we all at times feel far removed from Him.

"If you want to stay close to someone who has been dear to you, but from whom you are separated, you know how to do it.

"You find a way to speak to him, you listen to him, and you discover ways to do things for each other. The more often this happens, the longer it goes on, the deeper is the bond of affection. If much time passes without the speaking, the listening, and the doing, the bond weakens.

"God loves you and offers you the same opportunity to draw closer to Him as would a loving friend. And you do it in much the same way: speaking, listening, and doing. Heavenly Father has not only invited you to speak to Him, He has commanded it. The Lord says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing” (D&C 19:38). After you pray, you need to listen with great care. The Spirit will bear record to your heart as you read the scriptures, as you hear the Lord’s authorized servants, and as God speaks directly to your heart. You will act after you have listened, because when you hear His voice by the Spirit, you will always feel that you must do something. 

"Now, even the Savior, when He was on the cross, felt His Father far from Him. You will have moments, perhaps long moments, of feelings of separation. But the way to draw closer to God is to pray, and listen, and obey Him all your days."

Elder Eyring "Draw Closer to God."

"Every person on the earth today lived at one time in heavenly realms. We walked with our Heavenly Father. We knew Him. We heard His voice. We loved Him.  And although we were eager to enter mortality and continue our progression, we must have regretted the separation that would accompany it. We must have sorrowed that a veil would cover our eyes and the bright memories of our lives would be cloaked in the forgetfulness of mortality. How we must have yearned to stay close to our Father in Heaven. How we must have covenanted to ever reach after Him and commune with Him. 

"Undoubtedly our separation from our Heavenly Father was softened when He promised that as we sought after Him in prayer, He would reach toward us. 

"Now we are here. Our memories of our premortal life are dim and dark. We have forgotten those things we supposed we could never forget. Unfortunately and tragically we sometimes even forget our Heavenly Father, whom we loved so dearly.  

"Have you considered the effectiveness of your prayers, your efforts to reach toward Him from this mortal life? How close do you feel to your Heavenly Father? Do you feel that your prayers are answered? Do you feel that the time you spend in prayer enriches and uplifts your soul? Is there room for improvement? 

Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Improving Our Prayers,” Ensign, Mar. 2004, 24

One of the ways that God speaks to us is through the scriptures.

"The third reason that the Book of Mormon is of such value to Latter-day Saints is given in the same statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith cited previously. He said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon). That is the third reason for studying the book. It helps us draw nearer to God. Is there not something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like Him in our daily walk, to feel His presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book."

Pres. Benson "The Book Of Mormon- The Keystone of Our Religion." 

When I was going to school I would carry little paperback Book of Mormon in my backpack that I would sometimes read when I had free time during those crazy, stressful university days.  I didn't so much read to learn as I read to feel.  I needed to feel that calming, peaceful Spirit that comes from being immersed in the word of the Lord.

Drawing near may mean changing our path, changing our path to the one that he walks. As we draw near to be with Him we go where He goes, walk where He walks, see what He sees and love as He loves. He promises that His yoke is easy (scriptural Yokes). Conversely He has walked where we must go and will guide us along the way. 

"There is not a single loophole or curveball or open trench to fall into for the man or woman who walks the path that Christ walks. When he says, “Come, follow me” (Luke 18:22), he means that he knows where the quicksand is and where the thorns are and the best way to handle the slippery slope near the summit of our personal mountains. He knows it all, and he knows the way. He is the way."

Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Come unto Me’,” Ensign, Apr 1998

As we walk with Him we become more like Him. 


The Prophet Joseph said: “If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from him...  

"Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and I feel to repent of all my sins. … 

"Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing "

History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:588.

"Mary Ellen Edmunds expressed it well for all of us when she said, “For me I feel close to the Savior when I can do in a small way for someone else, what He would do if He were there. In a way, that’s what being an instrument is all about … to make it possible for His love to reach more of His children.”

Quoted in Barbara W. Winder, “Draw Near unto Me through Obedience,” Ensign, Nov 1985

“And a little child shall lead them.” (2 Ne. 21:6.) Can you imagine the joy our Heavenly Father must feel when we come to him with the tender faith of a little child and accept the love he has for each of us? He wants us to come to him and has promised that he will be there to welcome us. In the Doctrine and Covenants he has said, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you.” (D&C 88:63.)

This is our invitation from our Father in Heaven to share in the wondrous blessings he has in store for us. He then gives explicit directions on how we can find him: “Seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Seek, 

Ask, 

Knock.

J. Thomas Fyans, “Draw Near unto Me,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 90