Tues., 9/22/15 Devotion (Ps. 73:28a)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 73:28a, where we read these words:

"But it is good for me to draw near to God . . . "

It is very good for all God's children to draw near to Him. Are we ever reticent about doing this, since we imagine ourselves to be too unworthy, dirty, imper-fect, or unacceptable? If so, that is *all* the *more* reason to "draw near to God”—so long as we come to Him through our faith in Christ. There is only one way the Lord will allow Himself to be approached, and that is by virtue of the merits of Jesus' blood atonement (the benefits of which we apprehend by grace through faith alone).

The devil seeks to discourage us, God’s church, from drawing near to Him. In Christ, let us come boldly to our Father in heaven—recognizing that we are clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "For from our neglect of prayer comes that dead-ness of spirit, that worldly-mindedness and unaptness to pray, to hear the Word, and to keep the Sabbath.” —John Preston, in his sermon entitled, "The Saint's Daily Exercise"]